Endometriosis and the menopause: why the question merits our full attention

Lydia Marie-Scemama, Marc Even, Jean Bouquet de Jolinière, Jean Bouquet De La Joliniere, Jean-Marc Ayoubi
Hormone molecular biology and clinical investigation · 2019 · vol. 37(2) · doi:10.1515/hmbci-2018-0071 · PMID:30913034 · W2924215950
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⚙ AI-generated summary by claude@2026-06, 2026-06-08 ⓘ

New data indicate endometriosis can emerge or reappear during menopause, posing risks of recurrence, malignant transformation, and unresolved therapeutic dilemmas regarding hormonal therapy.

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Abstract

As an estrogen-dependent disease, endometriosis was thought to become less active or regress with the onset of the menopause. However, based on some new data, we are discovering that this pathology can emerge or reappear at this period of life. Clinicians must consider it as a possible cause for cases of pelvic pain, and heavy bleeding. Authors have described a possibility of transformation of the intraperitoneal proliferation into a malignant type with ovarian, bowel and even lung metastasis. The risk of transformation into an ovarian cancer is around 2 or 3%. The role of menopausal hormonal therapy will be discussed as in recurrence in the case of residue existence, especially after incomplete surgery. Is it possible to prescribe hormonal therapy to a menopausal women suffering climacteric symptoms as it could trigger a recurrence of endometriosis and even an increased risk of malignant degeneration? This remains unclear. It is an unresolved therapeutic dilemma; the choice between surgery or medical treatment?

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Condition tags

mesh:D004715endometriosis

MeSH descriptors

Carcinoma Endometriosis Menopause Uterine Neoplasms Carcinoma Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Estrogens Estrogens Female Humans Menopause Uterine Neoplasms

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 (29)

Cited by (8)

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