Endometriosis is a benign gynecological condition that causes pain symptoms and infertility; these symptoms may significantly impair quality of life. It affects at least 4% of reproductive age women. Over the last 20 year several improvements have been made in the understanding of the molecular pathways involved in the pathogenesis of endometriosis which however remains to be fully elucidated.
Transvaginal ultrasonography is the first line imaging technique used for the diagnosis of endometriosis, radiological imaging (such as magnetic resonance imaging and virtual colonoscopy) can be used for patients with suspicion of bowel or urinary tract endometriosis.
Hormonal therapy is the first-line treatment of endometriosis related pain. First-line therapies are combined estroprogestins combinations and progestins. Second-line therapies include gonadotropin releasing hormone analogue and gonadotropin releasing hormone antagonist. Aromatase inhibitors have been proposed for the treatment of endometriosis but they are not approved for this use and they should be administered only in the setting of scientific research. Although, hormonal therapy decreases the intensity of pain symptoms, it is not curative, and symptoms usually recur after the discontinuation of treatment.
Surgical excision of endometriosis may be offered to patients refusing hormonal therapies and to those suffering pain symptoms persisting despite the use of hormonal therapies. These surgical procedures can be challenging and require extensive experience in minimally invasive surgery. Endometriosis may recur after surgery and hormonal therapies may be used to decrease the risk of recurrence.
Endometriosis-related infertility is usually treated by in vitro fertilization; the role of hormonal therapies before infertility treatment is unclear.
Given the importance of this topic, Frontiers in Endocrinology is launching a Research Topic entitled “Endometriosis: Pathogenesis, Diagnosis and Treatment”, with the aim of gathering together accurate and up-to-date scientific information on all aspects of endometriosis. We are pleased to invite you and your co-workers to submit your original research articles reporting on the mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. Moreover, we invite you to submit clinical studies investigating the methods used for the diagnosis of endometriosis, the role on hormonal therapies in the treatment of pain and infertility in women with endometriosis and the role of surgery in improving endometriosis-related symptoms. We would also like to invite you to submit review articles aimed at providing a comprehensive overview of the recent advances in understanding of all of the discussed aspects of endometriosis.
Endometriosis is a benign gynecological condition that causes pain symptoms and infertility; these symptoms may significantly impair quality of life. It affects at least 4% of reproductive age women. Over the last 20 year several improvements have been made in the understanding of the molecular pathways involved in the pathogenesis of endometriosis which however remains to be fully elucidated.
Transvaginal ultrasonography is the first line imaging technique used for the diagnosis of endometriosis, radiological imaging (such as magnetic resonance imaging and virtual colonoscopy) can be used for patients with suspicion of bowel or urinary tract endometriosis.
Hormonal therapy is the first-line treatment of endometriosis related pain. First-line therapies are combined estroprogestins combinations and progestins. Second-line therapies include gonadotropin releasing hormone analogue and gonadotropin releasing hormone antagonist. Aromatase inhibitors have been proposed for the treatment of endometriosis but they are not approved for this use and they should be administered only in the setting of scientific research. Although, hormonal therapy decreases the intensity of pain symptoms, it is not curative, and symptoms usually recur after the discontinuation of treatment.
Surgical excision of endometriosis may be offered to patients refusing hormonal therapies and to those suffering pain symptoms persisting despite the use of hormonal therapies. These surgical procedures can be challenging and require extensive experience in minimally invasive surgery. Endometriosis may recur after surgery and hormonal therapies may be used to decrease the risk of recurrence.
Endometriosis-related infertility is usually treated by in vitro fertilization; the role of hormonal therapies before infertility treatment is unclear.
Given the importance of this topic, Frontiers in Endocrinology is launching a Research Topic entitled “Endometriosis: Pathogenesis, Diagnosis and Treatment”, with the aim of gathering together accurate and up-to-date scientific information on all aspects of endometriosis. We are pleased to invite you and your co-workers to submit your original research articles reporting on the mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. Moreover, we invite you to submit clinical studies investigating the methods used for the diagnosis of endometriosis, the role on hormonal therapies in the treatment of pain and infertility in women with endometriosis and the role of surgery in improving endometriosis-related symptoms. We would also like to invite you to submit review articles aimed at providing a comprehensive overview of the recent advances in understanding of all of the discussed aspects of endometriosis.
