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Fibroids: Uterine Fibroids
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Fibroids... known as leiomyomas, myomas or fibromas are benign growthsin the uterine wall composed of smooth muscle and fibrous cells. Fibroids are the most common growths arising from the female pelvis, occurring in at least 20-40percent of women. Approximately half of the women with fibroids develop symptoms, most commonly between the age of 30-50. At least one-third of the estimated 600,000 hysterectomies performed each year in the United Statesare done for fibroid disease, at an estimated cost of $2-4 billion. Hysterectomy is the most frequently performed major surgical procedure in the United States.
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Fibroids are smooth muscle tumors of the uterus. They grow from the muscle cells of the uterus and are ... called uterine leiomyomas, or myomas. They are benign ( non-cancerous), and are the commonest tumours found in a young woman. Since they are so common ( about 25% of women in the childbearing group will have fibroids) , many infertile women will also be found to have fibroids. However, most fibroids do not affect fertility and can safely be left alone. Unfortunately, many doctors are very anxious to surgically remove these, and this unnecessary surgery can actually cause infertility !
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Fibroids have a large blood supply that makes them grow. Fibroids will shrink or go away completely if the blood supply is stopped. Embolization means stopping or blocking the blood flow. So, uterine fibroid embolization is a way to stop the blood flow that makes fibroids grow. The procedure works even if you have several fibroids.
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Recently, researchers at the Center for Uterine Fibroids have identified mutations in two genes, HMGI(C) and HMGI(Y), that appear to be important in the development of some fibroids. (For more information about the genetics of fibroids, please see articles published about these genes on the "Publications" page.) Normally, these genes code for proteins that help control cell growth by indirectly regulating DNA transcription.
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Fibroids begin to grow because of an error in the gene that controls the rate of replication for uterine muscle cells. In response to erroneous instructions from this gene, the uterine muscle cells begin to replicate at a tremendously accelerated pace, and before long, the cells begin to pile up on themselves as tiny seed-like growths. Eventually, the additional cells can no longer be incorporated into the body of the uterus. At some point in this process, the cells lose their identity as normal-looking muscle cells and become fibroids.
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Increased uterine bleeding — Fibroids can cause an increase in the amount of blood flow and length of a woman's menstrual period. The presence and amount of uterine bleeding is determined mainly by the location and size of the fibroid. Women with fibroids that protrude into the uterus are more likely to have significant increases in bleeding, although women with all types of fibroids can have this problem. If the bleeding is very heavy, anemia (low red blood cell count) can occur.
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Uterine Fibroids