Emerging treatment options for uterine fibroids

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Uterine fibroids (also known as leiomyomas or myomas) are the most common form of benign uterine tumors. Current management strategies involve mainly surgical interventions, but the choice of treatment is guided by patient age and desire to preserve fertility or avoid ‘radical’ surgery such as hysterectomy.

Areas covered: There is growing evidence of the crucial role of progesterone pathways in the pathophysiology of uterine fibroids, leading to increasing use of selective progesterone receptor modulators (SPRMs) such as ulipristal acetate. We searched all published studies on medical management of fibroids with SPRMs.

Expert opinion: The need for alternatives to surgical intervention is very real, especially for women seeking to preserve their fertility. These options now exist, with SPRMs proven to treat fibroid symptoms effectively. Gynecologists now have new tools in their armamentarium, opening up novel strategies for the management of uterine fibroids.

KEYWORDS:

• Uterine fibroids
• leiomyomas
• selective progesterone receptor modulators
• ulipristal acetate
• surgery
• medical therapy
• myomectomy
• infertility

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Mira Hryniuk, BA, for reviewing the English language of the manuscript and Deborah Godefroidt for her administrative assistance.

Declaration of interest

J Donnez has been a member of the Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) of PregLem S.A. since 2007. He receives grants and fees for lectures and coverage of travel expenses to investigator meetings of PEARL studies from the Gedeon Richter Group. O Donnez receives grants and fees for lectures and coverage of travel expenses to investigator meetings of PEARL studies from the Gedeon Richter Group. MM Dolmans has no conflict of interest in relation to the paper, but her salary is partially (50%) paid by the Fonds National de la Recherche Scientifique de Belgique-FNRS for Grants No 5/4/150/5. P Arriagada is an employee of Preglem SA. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed. Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was not funded.