Raloxifene Inhibits Leiomyoma Growth

March 4, 2004

Reuters Health Information via

You need to register with Medscape in order to view articles, but this item

is short so I'll quote it here. I'd say that three months is a very short

trial period.

RALOXIFENE INHIBITS LEIOMYOMA GROWTH ....

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Feb 25 - The selective estrogen receptor modulator

raloxifene inhibits the growth of uterine leiomyomas in premenopausal women,

according to results of a prospective study at the University of Vienna in

Austria. The drug was well tolerated, with only one patient reporting hot

flushes, the report indicates.

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists are sometimes used to reduce

the size of uterine fibromas, but its use is associated with bone loss and

adverse lipoprotein profiles. Dr. Stefan Jirecek and colleagues theorized

that raloxifene -- approved for prevention and treatment of osteoporosis in

postmenopausal women -- would be better than GnRH agonists.

Dr. Jirecek's group recruited premenopausal women with asymptomatic uterine

leiomyomas. Eleven were randomly assigned to raloxifene 180 mg/day, and 12

to no intervention.

After 3 months, average leiomyoma volume decreased by 9.1% in the raloxifene

group and increased by 13.1% in the control group, resulting in a 22.2%

absolute change between groups (p = 0.047). There were no significant

changes in endocrine function.

- END OF ARTICLE -

Medscape carries many reports that are relevant to women with fibroids. If

you register you can look up items such as

Fertil Steril 2004;81:132-136.

Case of the Month - Retained Laparotomy Sponge (Gossypiboma)

A 42-year-old woman presented with a 5-month history of abdominal pain,

nausea, and vomiting. Physical examination revealed a palpable epigastric

mass

Appl Radiol 33(1) 2004

Laparoscopic Occlusion of Uterine Vessels Improves Symptomatic Fibroids

Am J Obstet Gynecol 2004;190:37-43.

(A gynaecologist's alternative to UAE, works by a similar principle and may

be combined with myomectomy of the largest fibroids.)

Recommended Posts