Anti-cancer Drugs in Endometriosis Management: Mechanisms and Therapeutic Potential

INTRODUCTION: Endometriosis is a widespread estrogen-driven condition causing pelvic pain and infertility in women. This disease shares five features with cancer: Intrinsic growth signals, insensitivity to antiproliferative signals, impaired apoptosis, induction of angiogenesis, and heightened tissue invasion, suggesting common therapeutic targets for both conditions. This article reviews studies investigating the anti-cancer drugs' protective effects and mechanisms in endometriosis treatment, providing essential insights into their efficacy and the relevant pathways in managing the disease. METHODS: A comprehensive review was conducted to assess the potential therapeutic benefits of anti-cancer drugs in endometriosis treatment. This included an extensive search of Google Scholar and PubMed, using relevant keywords without any limitations until the end of 2024, to ensure a thorough analysis of existing research in this field. RESULTS: Many drugs used in treating estrogen-dependent and other cancers have demonstrated significant therapeutic potential for endometriosis, as supported by cellular, animal, and clinical studies. DISCUSSION: Though these drugs may have significant side effects, more research is necessary to determine their usefulness in endometriosis treatment. By studying various drug dosages and regimens, researchers can aim to achieve effective treatment with minimal side effects. Personalized treatment based on illness severity can be achieved by selecting the right medication and dosage. CONCLUSION: Future research can include optimizing dosages in preclinical studies, comparing repurposed drugs to conventional therapies in randomized trials, and conducting longer and larger clinical trials further to assess side effects and effectiveness in endometriosis patients.