New trends for the medical treatment of endometriosis

Ana Luiza L Rocha; Ana Luiza Lunardi Rocha; Fernando M Reis; Felice Petraglia

doi:10.1517/13543784.2012.683783

New trends for the medical treatment of endometriosis

Ana Luiza L Rocha, Ana Luiza Lunardi Rocha, Fernando M Reis, Felice Petraglia

Expert opinion on investigational drugs · 2012 · vol. 21(7) , pp. 905–919 · doi:10.1517/13543784.2012.683783 · PMID:22568855 · W2038516293

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This review examines emerging pharmacological treatments for endometriosis, highlighting their potential to complement surgical approaches and enable combined hormonal and non-hormonal therapies.

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Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Endometriosis is a benign sex hormone-dependent gynecological disease, characterized by the presence and growth of endometrial tissue outside the uterus; it affects 10% of women of reproductive age and is associated with infertility and pain. Treatment of endometriosis involves conservative or radical surgery, or medical therapies. The goals for endometriosis treatment may be the relief of pain and/or a successful pregnancy achievement in infertile patients. Treatment must be individualized with a multidisciplinary approach. The classical treatments carry adverse side effects and in some cases a negative impact on quality of life. New agents promise a distinct perspective in endometriosis treatment. AREAS COVERED: The aim of this paper is to systematically review the literature evidence of new medical treatments for endometriosis, defined as pharmacological treatments not yet commonly available and currently under investigation. EXPERT OPINION: These new medical therapies would be used associated with surgical treatment and, in the future, will render possible the association of hormone therapy with non-hormonal treatment for endometriosis.

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Condition tags

endometriosischronic_pelvic_paininfertility

MeSH descriptors

Drugs, Investigational Endometriosis Therapies, Investigational Therapies, Investigational Therapies, Investigational Acupuncture Therapy Drugs, Investigational Drugs, Investigational Drugs, Investigational Drug Therapy, Combination Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Female Humans Pelvic Pain Pelvic Pain Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic Treatment Outcome

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)

Cited by (50)

Source provenance

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