Ulipristal Acetate Prior to Surgery for Endometriosis

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Ulipristal acetate (UPA) treatment prior to endometriosis surgery resulted in amenorrhea for most patients, pain reduction for almost all symptomatic patients, and PAEC-like changes in some endometriosis lesions.

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This paper reviewed the effects of the selective progesterone receptor modulator ulipristal acetate (UPA) given before surgery in 15 women with endometriosis, assessing changes in eutopic endometrium and endometriotic lesions using pathology review by two gynecologic pathologists. Over 6–24 months (intermittent for most patients, continuous for 27%), 73% reported amenorrhea and 92% of the 12 patients with pain reported pain reduction or resolution; PAEC (pathologic progesterone receptor modulator-associated endometrial changes) was identified in 58% (7/12 with eutopic endometrium specimens). Among 14 patients who proceeded to surgery and had 49 extraovarian sites sampled, endometriosis was definitively identified in 63% of sites, and PAEC-like morphologic features were seen in 21% of cases, confined to cases where PAEC was also present in the endometrium. The authors conclude PAECs may occur in endometriosis lesions in UPA-treated patients, while further prospective work is needed to evaluate efficacy and safety; this study is limited by its small case series design without a prospective control group. This paper is centrally about endometriosis — it evaluates ulipristal acetate’s pre-surgical effects on endometriosis symptoms and lesion pathology, including PAEC-related findings.

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Abstract

Selective progesterone receptor modulators may have a role in the treatment of endometriosis. The aim of this report is to review the effect of ulipristal acetate (UPA) on endometriosis lesions and symptoms in women treated prior to surgery. A pathology review of eutopic endometrium and endometriotic lesions was conducted by two gynecologic pathologists. The main outcome measures reported are pain reduction, amenorrhea, and pathologic progesterone receptor modulator-associated endometrial changes (PAECs). Overall, fifteen women with endometriosis received UPA over a 27-month study period. UPA was administered in an intermittent fashion in the majority of patients while 27% of patients had continuous treatment, between 6 and 24 months. Eleven (73%) patients reported amenorrhea on UPA and 11 (92%) of 12 patients with pain reported pain reduction or resolution. Fourteen patients (93%) proceeded with surgical management. Thirteen (93%) patients underwent excision of suspected endometriosis at surgery. Twelve cases (86%) had concurrent eutopic endometrium specimens and PAEC was identified in 58% (n = 7). Among the 14 cases that underwent surgery, a total of 49 extraovarian sites were sampled. Endometriosis was definitively identified in 31 (63%) of these sites. Three cases (21%) showed morphologic features similar to PAEC within foci of endometriosis. All cases of PAEC-like features in endometriosis also had PAEC in the endometrium. These patients had all noted pain reduction and amenorrhea preoperatively. In conclusion, PAECs may be found in endometriosis lesions in patients treated with UPA. Further prospective investigation is required to evaluate the efficacy and safety of SPRMs in women with endometriosis.
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Abstract

Selective progesterone receptor modulators may have a role in the treatment of endometriosis. The aim of this report is to review the effect of ulipristal acetate (UPA) on endometriosis lesions and symptoms in women treated prior to surgery. A pathology review of eutopic endometrium and endometriotic lesions was conducted by two gynecologic pathologists. The main outcome measures reported are pain reduction, amenorrhea, and pathologic progesterone receptor modulator-associated endometrial changes (PAECs). Overall, fifteen women with endometriosis received UPA over a 27-month study period. UPA was administered in an intermittent fashion in the majority of patients while 27% of patients had continuous treatment, between 6 and 24 months. Eleven (73%) patients reported amenorrhea on UPA and 11 (92%) of 12 patients with pain reported pain reduction or resolution. Fourteen patients (93%) proceeded with surgical management. Thirteen (93%) patients underwent excision of suspected endometriosis at surgery. Twelve cases (86%) had concurrent eutopic endometrium specimens and PAEC was identified in 58% (n = 7). Among the 14 cases that underwent surgery, a total of 49 extraovarian sites were sampled. Endometriosis was definitively identified in 31 (63%) of these sites. Three cases (21%) showed morphologic features similar to PAEC within foci of endometriosis. All cases of PAEC-like features in endometriosis also had PAEC in the endometrium. These patients had all noted pain reduction and amenorrhea preoperatively. In conclusion, PAECs may be found in endometriosis lesions in patients treated with UPA. Further prospective investigation is required to evaluate the efficacy and safety of SPRMs in women with endometriosis. Similar content being viewed by others

References

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Surgery for endometriosis: beyond medical therapies. Fertil Steril. 2017;107(3):549–54. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2017.01.001. Guo SW, Groothuis PG. Is it time for a paradigm shift in drug research and development in endometriosis/adenomyosis? Hum Reprod Update. 2018;24(5):577–98. https://doi.org/10.1093/humupd/dmy020. Acknowledgments The authors would like to thank The Ottawa Hospital Minimally Invasive Gynecology Group staff for helping facilitate the completion of this project (Ms. Suzannah Wojcik BHScH, Dr. Teresa Flaxman PhD, and Ms. Erica Nichols RN). Author information Authors and Affiliations Contributions Dr. S. Singh developed the concept for this work and all authors contributed to data acquisition, interpretation, manuscript development, and final review. Corresponding author Ethics declarations Conflict of Interest S.S.S. reports other from Allergan, other from AbbVie, other from Bayer, personal fees from Allergan, personal fees from AbbVie, personal fees from Bayer, personal fees from Hologic, and personal fees from Cooper Surgical, outside the submitted work. D.E. has no conflicts of interest. S.M. has no conflicts of interest. M.S. has no conflicts of interest. S. S. has no conflicts of interest. Rights and permissions About this article Cite this article Singh, S.S., Evans, D., McDonald, S. et al. Ulipristal Acetate Prior to Surgery for Endometriosis. Reprod. Sci. 27, 1707–1714 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s43032-020-00146-1 Received: Accepted: Published: Version of record: Issue date: DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s43032-020-00146-1

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Condition tags

endometriosis

MeSH descriptors

Contraceptive Agents, Hormonal Endometriosis Norpregnadienes Adult Combined Modality Therapy Contraceptive Agents, Hormonal Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometrium Endometrium Female Humans Middle Aged Norpregnadienes Treatment Outcome

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