Paradigm Shift: The Realization of New Medical Alternatives to Surgery for Endometriosis

Endometriosis is one of the most destructive benign diseases of women. It is established as developing and being present in upward of 70% of adolescents who do not experience relief of menstrual pain with use of oral contraceptives and anti-inflammatory drugs. It occurs in 8%‐10% of women in the United States and is most prevalent in developed countries. Symptoms of endometriosis include disabling pain, hemorrhagic uterine bleeding, and infertility. Women with disease can expect a 12% hysterectomy rate. While present medical therapy may offer relief of many symptoms, there have been no major new directions in pharmacologic therapy since leuprolide acetate was made available in 1977. Danazol remains the only alternative to GnRH agonists with proven efficacy and reasonable side effects, according to Cochrane Reviews, yet, it is underused, and GnRH agonists are favored even when Danazol in combination seems more effective. A previously published case report on use of the combination of nandrolone and stanozolol to treat a young woman scheduled for hemicolectomy is discussed as an alternative to surgery along with the limits of standard therapy. This review will focus on recent research and theories seeking to establish causation for disease and offer treatment recommendations.