Uterine fibroids: goodbye yes, but without a scalpel
Uterine fibroid is the most common benign gynecological tumor affecting as many as 40% of women between the ages of 35 and 55, characterized by pain and heavy bleeding.
It is important for women to be informed about the disease, to know its causes and symptoms in order to deal with it in the correct way. There may be many channels available for women to get information and deepen the issue. The web can be an important source of information but it is necessary to rely on safe sources such as Fibromaconnect, a space dedicated to women, a listening and information point available to women to get to know, talk and discuss with experts on the subject.
For the most severe cases, the therapies available to date were not exactly the most attractive. Good news for women with uterine fibroid, a condition that is one of the leading causes of pre-menopausal hysterectomy. The drug used so far, a hormone agonist that promotes the release of gonadotropins, caused a temporary menopause with severe side effects. For the most serious cases, however, there was nothing left but surgery. So far, precisely, because this is no longer the case. In fact, a new oral drug has also arrived in Italy that can significantly reduce or even make these annoying benign tumors disappear without the need for a scalpel.
It is a drug, ulipristal acetate (5 mg), the name of the active ingredient, capable of blocking the effect of progesterone. In fact, it is precisely an imbalance of this hormone, one of the factors responsible for the growth of the uterine fibroid within the myometrium, that is, the uterine wall. This new drug is able to counteract the effect of progesterone on the fibroid with almost no side effects, as it does not increase the risk of osteoporosis, hot flashes and other symptoms typical of menopause. A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine has shown that this innovative drug is able to reduce pain and bleeding in 90% of patients within a few days and make surgery unnecessary in some of them. In the case of particularly voluminous fibroids, ulipristal acetate 5 mg proved to be useful in significantly reducing the mass of the fibroid and thus allowing a more conservative surgery on the uterus.
The drug is prescribed to women who are candidates for surgical therapy. The tablet should be taken daily for a maximum of two treatment cycles of three months each, the pill should be taken for three months under medical supervision to assess the state of the fibroid after treatment, in case there are no more symptoms such as bleeding, but the fibroid has not completely disappeared, the patient can decide together with her gynecologist whether to simply continue to monitor the fibroid or to undergo surgery.
In collaboration with Fibromaconnect
