title: Medical treatment for uterine myomas.
abstract: Uterine myomas are the most common benign tumors in the female reproductive tract. Most women with myomas are asymptomatic. Therefore, expectant observation and follow-up are often recommended for these myoma patients. However, myomas may cause menstrual symptoms, pelvic pain, pressure complaints, subfertility or pregnancy-related complications, with resultant requests for a definitive treatment. The management of myomas has become multidisciplinary in the past 20 years. Basically, the choice of treatment depends on the patient's age, the reason for treatment, the issue of fertility preservation, and the patient's preference. The treatment spectrum includes an expectant management, medical therapy, surgical intervention, uterine artery embolization or ablative techniques. Medical therapy is an option for women with symptomatic myomas who prefer non-surgical treatment, consider fertility preservation, or expect a less aggressive operation after shrinkage of the uterine volume. This review will summarize the recent well-documented drugs for the management of uterine myomas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, and Institute of Clinical Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ming-Hui
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Hsiang-Tai
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Chao
authors.forename: Peng-Hui
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006728:Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007436:Intrauterine Devices, Medicated; D018231:Leiomyomatosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011374:Progesterone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D006728:Hormones; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D011374:Progesterone