Adenomyosis and Endometriosis: Two Faces of the Same Disease?

Razvan Socolov, Ioana Păvăleanu, Demetra Socolov, Loredana Toma, Andreea Pruteanu
In: Endometriosis - Medical Aspects and Modern Approaches [Working Title] · 2026 · doi:10.5772/intechopen.1014688 · W7156011720
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⚙ AI-generated summary by claude@2026-06, 2026-06-07 ⓘ

This review compares the etiopathogenesis, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and management of adenomyosis and endometriosis, exploring their shared and divergent mechanisms as interrelated conditions within a single disease spectrum.

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Abstract

Adenomyosis and endometriosis are chronic, estrogen-dependent gynecological disorders traditionally regarded as distinct entities but increasingly recognized as interrelated conditions within a shared disease spectrum. Both are characterized by the presence of ectopic endometrial tissue and are associated with chronic inflammation, immune dysregulation, altered hormonal signaling, and significant reproductive morbidity. This chapter explores the comparative etiopathogenesis of adenomyosis and endometriosis, highlighting common and divergent mechanisms, including junctional zone disruption, tissue injury and repair processes, stem and progenitor cell involvement, angiogenesis, neurogenesis, and genetic and epigenetic modulation. Emphasis is placed on mixed phenotypes, in which uterine and extrauterine disease coexist, creating diagnostic, staging, and therapeutic challenges. The chapter also reviews current concepts in clinical presentation, imaging-based diagnosis, and limitations of existing classification systems, underscoring the need for integrated, phenotype-oriented frameworks. Common and specific complications, including infertility, adverse obstetric outcomes, and surgical complexity, are critically discussed. Finally, contemporary management strategies are examined, contrasting conservative medical and surgical approaches with radical interventions, in line with recent international guidelines. Understanding adenomyosis and endometriosis as interconnected manifestations of a unified pathological continuum may improve diagnostic accuracy, individualized treatment planning, and reproductive outcomes.

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Condition tags

endometriosisadenomyosisinfertility

Citation neighborhood

Papers in the corpus that this work cites (lower rings, blue) and that cite this one (upper rings, green). Dot size scales with the paper's in-corpus citation count — bigger dot = more influential within the endo/adeno field. Click a dot to open that paper. [ expand to 2 hops ] — adds papers reached through this work's immediate citers/citees. Heavier; up to 60 extra dots.

References (100)

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last seen: 2026-06-04T00:00:01.174412+00:00
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