AUTHOR=Bouquet de Joliniere Jean , Fruscalzo Arrigo , Khomsi Fathi , Stochino Loi Emanuela , Cherbanyk Floryn , Ayoubi Jean Marc , Feki Anis TITLE=Antiangiogenic Therapy as a New Strategy in the Treatment of Endometriosis? The First Case Report JOURNAL=Frontiers in Surgery VOLUME=8 YEAR=2021 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/surgery/articles/10.3389/fsurg.2021.791686 DOI=10.3389/fsurg.2021.791686 ISSN=2296-875X ABSTRACT=

Angiogenesis plays a pivotal role in implantation and development of ectopic endometrial lesions. Thus, the potential usefulness of anti-angiogenic therapies has been speculated. Several reports describe their usefulness in animal models. Nonetheless this therapy has not been tested on humans yet. Here we report the outcome of a patient treated for a severe endometriosis with Bevacizumab (Avastin®), a monoclonal antibody directed against the vascular endothelial growth (VEGF). After a first-look laparoscopy with confirmatory biopsies was performed, three doses of Bevacizumab at 2-week intervals were administered. The therapy showed a well-tolerated profile and the prompt disappearance of the therapy-refractory chronic dysmenorrhea. A suppression of metabolic activity at the PET-scan compared to the basal one performed at diagnosis was also recorded. Furthermore, compared to the diagnostic biopsies prior the treatment, we documented a shift in the hormonal receptors profile toward a higher expression of progesterone and estrogen receptors in the endometriotic lesions.