title: Hormonal therapy for endometriosis: from molecular research to bedside.
abstract: Endometriotic lesions are associated with hormonal imbalance, including increased estrogen synthesis, metabolism and progesterone resistance. These hormonal changes cause increased proliferation, inflammation, pain and infertility. Hormonal imbalances are targets for treatment. Therapeutic strategies and innovations of hormonal drugs for endometriosis are increasing. Acting on estrogen receptors are hormonal drugs decreasing systemic and local estrogen synthesis (GnRH analogs, GnRH antagonists, Aromatase inhibitors) or estrogen activity (selective estrogen receptor modulators). The progesterone resistance is counteracted by progestins (Medroxyprogesterone acetate, Dienogest, Danazol, Levonorgestrel) or by Selective progesterone receptor modulators, a class of drugs under development. The future trend will be to define new drugs to use for prolonged period of time and with poor side effects considering endometriosis a chronic disease.
authors: Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
authors: Claudia
authors: C
authors: Tosti
authors: Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
authors: Antonella
authors: A
authors: Biscione
authors: Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
authors: Giuseppe
authors: G
authors: Morgante
authors: Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Sciences and Dentistry, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, Italy.
authors: Giuseppe
authors: G
authors: Bifulco
authors: Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy.
authors: Stefano
authors: S
authors: Luisi
authors: Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy. Electronic address: petraglia@unisi.it.
authors: Felice
authors: F
authors: Petraglia
mesh_terms: D047072:Aromatase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006727:Hormone Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D016912:Levonorgestrel / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017258:Medroxyprogesterone Acetate / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020845:Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D047072:Aromatase Inhibitors; D006727:Hormone Antagonists; D020845:Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators; D016912:Levonorgestrel; D017258:Medroxyprogesterone Acetate
keywords: Endometriosis; Estrogen secretion; Hormonal treatment; Pathogenesis; Progesterone receptor activity