Category: Treatment Options

What Black Women Need to Know About Risk and Fibroid Treatments

Posted on August 27, 2020August 25, 2020 by Houston Fibroids in Treatment Options, UFE

Up to 80 percent of adult black women have fibroids and will need to explore fibroid treatments. These muscular growths aren’t usually cancerous. But they can drastically affect your quality of life. In fact, women with fibroids experience pain, heavy bleeding and even fertility loss. Here’s the worst part: many women, especially black women, don’t have access to quality healthcare. So they never explore their fibroid treatment options. For that reason, many women choose hysterectomy (removing their uterus) when they could have explored less invasive treatments. And we believe that has to change.

Fibroids: A Common Problem

Let’s really understand uterine fibroids. These fleshy, non-cancerous tumors develop in, on or around your uterus. And, we don’t know why, but fibroids are three times as common in African American populations as in Caucasian ones.

This is true for all black women. But it’s an even bigger problem for African American women with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD.) In fact, a recent study in Academic Radiology found that 61.2% of black women with SCD had fibroids. In contrast, a lower 52.1% of the SCD-free black women had fibroids. In other words, fibroids are a major problem in the African American community. And so is the lack of information about fibroid treatment options.

Exploring Fibroid Treatments

Unfortunately, many black women often cure fibroids with hysterectomies. Now, a hysterectomy will eliminate your fibroid problems. But it can cause a whole range of new health concerns. Not just immediate infertility. Studies show that hysterectomies, especially in women under 40, can lead to incontinence, loss of sex drive, depression, obesity and heart problems.

That’s pretty scary on it’s own. But here’s what’s worse: hysterectomy isn’t your only choice when it comes to fibroid symptom relief. You can choose myomectomy, a surgery that remove your fibroids, not your uterus. And, even more excitingly, there are non-surgical procedures like UFE! In this procedure, we cut off blood flow to your fibroids. We effectively killing the tumor, without forcing you to deal with hospital stays or extended down time. UFE may be a great option if you hope to avoid the expense and risks of invasive surgery. The only problem is this: many women don’t even know UFE exits.

Expanding Fibroid Treatment Options

That’s where health care activism has to step in and make a difference. We see exciting developments in government already. And say thank you to Senator Kamala Harris for introducing a bill to expand fibroid research. Our doctors strongly believe that investing in women’s health care is a great way to help achieve healthcare equality for all women.

But we also know that there’s more work to do. That’s why our doctors are joining the cause. We’re fighting to help all women access high-quality health care by spreading the word about UFE. Women should be armed with information about all available treatment options. It’s the only way they can make informed healthcare decisions. About fibroid treatment or any other health challenge. Now, we want your help in our mission. Sp please share your fibroid stories (and info on alternatives to hysterectomy) on our website or social media. Use the hashtag #FibroidFix and help us get women’s health care issue trending!

Sources: Journal of Academic Radiology

Surgery or UFE: Differences in Fertility & Quality of Life

Posted on August 25, 2020August 25, 2020 by Houston Fibroids in Fibroids and Pregnancy, Treatment Options

When choosing fibroid treatments, your two main choices will be surgery or UFE. Fibroid tumors are non-cancerous growths that develop in and on a woman’s uterus. While not a life threatening condition, because of their location, they can cause many negative symptoms, including problems with fertility, menstruation, and your bowel and bladder function.

Some women have a higher risk for developing fibroids. While we don’t know why these tumors form, we do know that certain factors are connected. That means if you have a family history, or are an African American women, you are more likely to develop fibroids in the future.

If your fibroid risk is high, now’s the time to think about your fertility. Women with fibroids who want to have children are often pushed into surgery treatment. Previously, we thought myomectomy, surgical fibroid removal, was a woman’s best option if she wanted to get pregnant. Now, research suggests that isn’t the case.

Quality of Life with Fibroid Treatments

There’s a new FEMME study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, comparing myomectomy and UFE outcomes. Specifically, the study examines how each fibroid treatment affects your post-procedure quality of life. And the outcomes were very interesting.

After treating fibroids with surgery or UFE, each group of women rated their quality of life. Both groups of women reported significant improvements. And there was only an eight point difference between the two groups’ reported improvements. That difference is small enough to be considered statistically insignificant. Or, to put it simply, myomectomy and UFE provides almost identical improvements in your daily life. But their post-treatment recovery process is different: UFE has almost no down time. While myomectomy is still an invasive surgery, which may require a hospital stay.

Given these differences, the FEMME study should offer proof that you should explore UFE if you’re considering myomectomy. Since the two fibroid treatments offer similar benefits, and UFE comes with an easier recovery. Now, it’s important to remember that the FEMME study didn’t address fertility outcomes with either of these fibroid treatment options. So we’ll turn to that data in the next sections of this post.

Myomectomies Don’t Improve Fertility

Check this out. A study examining “the effect of myomectomy on fertility[discovered] no significant benefit,” according to a review in the Cochrane journal. In other words, even if you have surgery to remove your fibroid tumors, your chances of getting or staying pregnant may not improve.

Of course, this is just one study. We need more research to really prove the effect of fibroid surgery on fertility. It does, however, mean that women should carefully consider all their treatment options before rushing into surgery just to preserve their fertility dreams.

UFE and Pregnancy

Patients with fibroids who hope to get pregnant may also consider uterine fibroid embolization, a minimally invasive procedure that effectively kills fibroids by cutting off their blood supply. Many patients wishing to avoid myomectomy want to know if they can become pregnant after uterine fibroid embolization. There have been reports of many successful pregnancies in patients after UFE. Many studies show that fertility rates and miscarriage rates in UFE patients are no different than patients of the same age with fibroids who have had no treatment. But, if you are willing to have surgery, and you’re healthy enough for a myomectomy, discuss the advantages with your provider.

Early studies suggested a slight increase in pregnancy complications after UFE vs myomectomy. But newer science suggests that tweaks to the UFE process improved fertility and pregnancy outcomes. These pregnancy complications can include pre-term labor and pregnancy induced hypertension, also known as pre eclampsia. UFE can still help patients who aren’t good candidates for surgery. All this will be especially true if it turns out that myomectomy really can’t improve your fertility.

Sources: New England Journal of Medicine, Canadian Family Physician journal, European Radiology Journal

Why Black Women Get Fibroids

Posted on August 12, 2020August 10, 2020 by Houston Fibroids in News, Treatment Options

Black women get fibroids more than any other women on the planet. And, did you know that African American women have some of the worst fibroid experiences? These are non-cancerous growths that develop in or around your uterus.

Fibroids are composed of muscle tissue. You can develop one or many fibroids. They may be small or large. And, while some women don’t even know they have fibroids, others experience symptoms that significantly interfere with their lives. These include heavy periods, pelvic pain, frequent urination and/or constipation, and pain during sex.

Why Do Black Women get Fibroids More Often?

We still don’t know why some women develop fibroids, while others don’t. But we do know that Black and African women develop fibroids three times more often than white women. And those fibroids are likely to be large and symptomatic.

Tanika Gray Valbrun, founder of The White Dress Project, is one of those women. She was 23 when she received a fibroid diagnosis, but she’d already had years of pain. Today, at 42, she continues to fight for fibroid awareness. She wants the world to take this health challenge seriously, pointing out that the WHO (World Health Organization) doesn’t even share fibroid information on its website.

This is a shocking discrepancy, since the site offers extensive information on other conditions affecting women, including infertility.

Valbrun recently told CNN, “I just don’t understand it, like, if so many Black women have fibroids, why aren’t more people talking about it? Why aren’t there so many walks and campaigns like there are for other medical conditions?” she said.

Additional Challenges

Lack of awareness is a problem for many black women who get fibroids. But so is the period stigma that’s still prevalent in many African cultures.

That’s something Ghanain Nana Konamah is working to change. In 2019, she and friend Jessica Nabongo made a documentary to help women understand how fibroids can impact so many aspects of women’s lives. At the same time, she’s trying to eliminate period stigma so that women speak up about symptoms and get diagnosed.

Early diagnosis is crucial. And it’s equally important to understand your fibroid treatment options! Because, according to the most recent CDC data, 33 percent of Black women ages 48-50 had a hysterectomy. In contrast, only 3 percent of white women in that age group removed their uterus. And when it comes to younger women? The gaps are even more startling. Among women ages 33-45, 12 percent of Black women had a hysterectomy. And white women? Only 4 percent in that age group chose this invasive surgery. That’s a major problem. We need to do better and help spread more fibroid knowledge, so all women know their fibroid treatment options.

Increased Risk and Delayed Treatment

We don’t know the exact scientific evidence reason why African American women are more likely to develop uterine fibroids. Still, there are a number of theories.

First, because African American girls are more likely to start their period at a younger age, one such theory is that fact makes them more susceptible to fibroid development later in life. Daughters are also three times as likely to have fibroids if their mother experienced them, which just completes this vicious circle.

And here’s the worse news. More African American women have fibroids, and severe fibroid symptoms, they don’t get help quickly. In fact, studies show that African American women reported taking an average of four years to seek fibroid treatment

How to Treat Uterine Fibroids

Unfortunately, African American women are not only three times more likely to develop uterine fibroids but they are also more likely to have larger and more densely populated fibroid tumors, so the treatment options can be different. While African American women diagnosed with fibroids are twice as likely to have a hysterectomy as Caucasian women, it’s important that those diagnosed with uterine fibroids are given comprehensive treatment options.

Non-invasive: include watchful waiting if you don’t experience symptoms, hormone treatments that may treat some symptoms, or an ultrasound procedure.
Less invasive: include uterine fibroid embolization, or endometrial ablation, which removes the lining of the uterine.
Surgical: include a myomectomy in which the fibroids are surgically removed, or a hysterectomy where the entire uterus is removed. The more invasive a surgery, the more room there is for complications.

Talk to your gynecologist and our fibroid specialists about the symptoms you’re experiencing to help decide on your best approach to treatment.

Sources: CNN, American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Black Women’s Health Imperatives, CDC, Well + Good

#WCW: Black Women and Fibroids, a Constant Fight

Posted on August 5, 2020July 31, 2020 by Houston Fibroids in News, Treatment Options

Black women and fibroids just seem to go together. About 80% of all women develop fibroids by the time they hit their 50s. But the rate of fibroid development is much higher among black women. Which is why many women impacted by these benign tumors are taking steps to raise fibroid awareness. And to help other black women gain the information needed to receive high-quality fibroid care, that doesn’t always involve a hysterectomy. Today, we salute two of those women as our Women Crushes of the Week.

For Black Women and Fibroids: the Fibroid Pandemic

When LaToya. Dwight was diagnosed with fibroids, her doctors offered a hysterectomy. But, as she explained in a recent interview, “I did not know what fibroids were, and was not given any resources… That did not sit well with me and made me do my research.”

Thankfully, that research led her to lifestyle changes, and a less invasive treatment option. Following her decision, she said, “I realized that a lot of women do not know where to turn because they are typically given the recommendation of having a hysterectomy. And while there is nothing wrong with having one, statistically, 60% of hysterectomies are not needed.” To help fill that information gap, she started the Fibroid Pandemic platform.

Among other resources, Dwight shares information that will help Black women address fibroid symptoms holistically. Specifically, she helps target factors that may be responsible for Black women’s increased fibroid risks. One key lifestyle change she advocates? Changing cosmetics brands. Especially hair care products, since many products marketed for black hair care contain strong chemicals that have been linked to increased fibroid risk. This is very important information, as are the tips our next #WCW shares through her platforms.

Meet The Black Woman “Fibroid Queen”

Registered nurse and fitness trainer Phyllis Frempong expressed concern about Black women’s healthcare equality: “Black women are last when learning the information needed to maximize our options. In the medical system, it has been this way for a long time. It has been set up for us to be at a disadvantage; therefore, we are required to educate and empower ourselves to stay abreast of what is going on.”

She uses her Instagram platform to advocate fibroid fighting fitness routines. As we know, maintaining a healthy weight can help minimize fibroid symptoms and growth, likely because carrying extra pounds can mess with your hormones.

Still, Ms. Frempong knows that talking fibroids isn’t easy. She says, “I grew up in an African household, so talking about medical issues was not encouraged. I remember my mom coming home really drained and tired, and asking her what happened. After initially dismissing me, she later said that her doctor informed her that she would need to get her uterus taken out. I asked why and she said that was fibroids. I did not quite know what fibroids were, I just remembered the name. So, years later, while in nursing school, I asked the doctor for an ultrasound and was questioned. When in a situation like this, always go with your instincts. Something told me to request it, and after finding a quarter-sized fibroid on my uterus, I was told to just monitor it.”

The Growth Cycle Continues

She did just that, but she developed more fibroids, like so many black women with fibroids. And they grew large. Frempong says she felt like a failure, because she’d waited around for things to get worse. All without knowing steps that could help stop her fibroids’ progression.

Today, she’s protecting other women from the same experience. She says, “I used what I learned as a nurse and fitness coach and created a lifestyle regiment to not only reduce my symptoms but shrink my fibroids. I realized that if I could do that, then I could help others. So now, my mission is to help millions of women end their suffering with holistic resources and a community of like-minded women to live their lives beyond fibroids.”

Minimally Invasive Fibroid Treatment

In our Houston area fibroid practice, we also work hard to share information about treatment options. We want women to know that hysterectomy isn’t always the answer. That’s part of why we share women’s fibroid stories. And it’s why we always offer patient education regarding Uterine Fibroid Embolization, or UFE, a non-surgical fibroid treatment.

We also know that UFE isn’t for everyone. And that’s ok. Our only goal is to make sure all women know that they have choices. So, if you want to explore minimally invasive fibroid treatments, we are here to help. Check out our guidelines to see if you’re a UFE candidate. And feel free to schedule an in-office or Telemedicine consultation with our team of specialists.

Sources: Chicago Defender

3 Reasons to Choose UFE Over Fibroid Surgery

Posted on July 29, 2020July 27, 2020 by Houston Fibroids in Treatment Options

When you have uterine fibroids, it’s important to explore all your treatment options. Many women with fibroids think they need a hysterectomy (surgical removal of the uterus,) But many could find relief with myomectomy (surgical removal of the tumor) or uterine fibroid embolization (a minimally invasive treatment protocol that blocks blood flow to your fibroids, causing them to shrink.)

While hysterectomy is a drastic surgery, some women may be confused about which of the two less invasive treatment options would be their best choice. Now, new research is giving women two important reasons to choose UFE.

Types of Fibroid Surgery

Before we talk about UFE vs myomectomy, let’s talk about the different types of fibroid removal surgery. If you choose to have your tumors surgically removed, you’ll have two choices: open abdominal surgery or laparoscopic surgery. With the first option, your surgeon opens up your lower abdomen with an incision large enough to remove your fibroids. This is obviously an invasive procedure that will come with an extended recovery period.

On the other hand, with laparoscopic fibroid surgery, your fibroids are removed through a series of several smaller incisions. The procedure is less invasive, with a faster recovery period. But you’ll still need to undergo sedation before the procedure.

Still, both of these procedures do help relieve fibroid symptoms. In a recent study in the Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology, researchers followed 143 women with fibroids for three years. 52 had open-abdominal procedures, 28 went with the laparoscopic procedure. Typically, the women choosing open-abdominal surgery started off with larger and more numerous fibroid clusters. Now, what the researchers discovered was very interesting: despite the differences in recovery periods, women in both groups reported similar improvements in quality of life and symptom relief. Yet, they still had to struggle with the challenges of surgery. Which is why many women still look for alternative fibroid treatments.

3 Main Advantages of Uterine Fibroid Embolization

If you’re looking for an alternative to fibroid surgery, here is some helpful research you’ll want to review.

According to research conducted by Dr. Jemianne Bautista-Jia, UFE may be more effective than myomectomy at relieving fibroid symptoms. Specifically, the study discovered three advantages to this method, as compared to surgical options.

With UFE, women were less likely to need secondary procedures than women who had myomectomy. That means if you choose UFE, you’ve got higher odds of finding lasting relief.
Women were less likely to need a blood transfusion after UFE than following surgery. Not only will this help you return faster to your daily activities, but it will also protect you from potential issues that may arise from this somewhat-risky blood transfer.
Women whose fibroids caused heavy menstrual bleeding experienced better relief with UFE than with myomectomy. And there’s nothing we don’t love about that news: say goodbye to back-up menstrual protection. And hello to the gorgeous white dress you’ve been eyeing for months!

While the study did note that more women became pregnant after myomectomy than after UFE, all other findings pointed women towards greater relief with UFE. Dr. Bautista-Jia, in presenting the findings wanted women with fibroids to take away his message: if heavy bleeding is your main fibroid symptom, UFE is the way to go. She also suggested that all women with symptomatic fibroids should explore UFE as a great treatment option.

Want more info on UFE? Reach out and schedule a consultation with our Houston area fibroid specialists.

Sources: evtoday.com, Society of Interventional Radiology, The Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology

Raising Fibroid Awareness, One Dress at a Time

Posted on July 23, 2020July 20, 2020 by Houston Fibroids in Fibroid Symptoms, Fibroids and Pregnancy, Treatment Options, UFE

July is National Fibroid Awareness month, and that’s something we’re very serious about. So, today, we honor Tamika Gray Valburn, founder of The White Dress Project. For years, Tanika suffered with fibroids. Her mom lost two sets of twins because of her own fibroids. But even with the family history, Tamika didn’t make the connection to her own diagnosis!

In fact, Valburn’s fibroids were diagnosed in her late teens. At that point, she’d experienced years of painful symptoms. “You just think it will skip a generation,” she’s explained in interviews. “When you’re young, you’re not thinking it will be your story as well.” But, like so many women, Valburn discovered that fibroids do tend to run in families.

Living with Fibroid Symptoms

Because Valburn’s fibroids triggered heavy periods, she “learn[ed] how to pad myself [to keep from leaking through clothes.] I know the whole formula—what kind of underwear to wear, what kind of tights, what kind of Spanx. I’ve tried and tested everything. It’s become a way of life.”

Eventually, Tanika surgically removed 27 fibroids from her uterus. After her recovery, she wanted to help other women. So, in 2014, Tanika earned a Georgia state representative’s support in declaring July as Fibroid Awareness Month. The goal? Helping women get the crucial health information they need.

But she didn’t stop there. Tanika realized that she never bought white clothing. She said, “It’s a simple thing. Like, who cares, why not just wear black? But I love clothes, and the fact that I had to sacrifice wearing white for these benign tumors—I wasn’t feeling it.”

The White Dress Project

That same year, Tanika founded the White Dress Project, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting fibroid awareness, supporting research, and bringing together a community of women who work to empower one another. After all, this is crucial. According to the CDC, one in three women will have a hysterectomy by the time she turns 60. But, according to the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 18.3% of those hysterectomies aren’t medically necessary. So, why do women have these surgeries? They don’t know about other options!

That’s where Tanika and her project want to make a difference. And they’ve made white dresses their symbol, as it signified a major milestone in Tanika’s recovery: the moment she could rock a white dress without any fear. (Because minimally invasive surgery helped resolve her painful fibroid symptoms.) Now, the white dress has become a symbol of strength and power to other women dealing with fibroids. And it’s just one more step in the crucial fight to take control of women’s menstrual health issues. Especially for Black women like Tanika, who are disproportionately at risk for avoidable hysterectomies. And for the serious complications that often come with open surgery.

As doctors involved in the daily battle against fibroids, we salute Tanika, our forever #WCW. We invite all women who are dealing with fibroids to slip on their white dresses and take control of their health by learning more about UFE, a minimally invasive treatment for fibroids!

Sources: The White Dress Project, Healio Primary Care

#WCW: Talking Fibroid Pain with FKA Twigs

Posted on July 15, 2020July 13, 2020 by Houston Fibroids in Fibroid Symptoms, Treatment Options, UFE

On this week’s Woman Crush Wednesday, we are celebrating singer (and former Robert Pattinson fiance) FKA Twigs for opening up about her fibroid pain and treatment journey. Back in 2018, the star revealed on Instagram that she had laproscopic surgery to remove six fibroids from her uterus.

She went on to share: “the tumours were pretty huge, the size of 2 cooking apples 🍎 🍎, 3 kiwis 🥝 🥝 🥝 and a couple of 🍓🍓.
a fruit bowl of pain everyday. the nurse said that the weight and size was like being 6 months pregnant.”

More recently, Twigs went on the TTYA Talks Podcast to give an in-depth account of her journey with fibroids.

Fibroid Pain and Loneliness

Sadly, for FKA Twigs, the journey to healing was extremely tough. Two years ago, she shared: “I tried to be brave but it was excruciating at times and to be honest I started to doubt if my body would ever feel the same again,” she said. “I had surgery in December and I was so scared, despite lots of love from friends and family I felt really alone and my confidence as a woman was knocked.”

And on the podcast, she got real about how scared and alone she felt while dealing with her symptoms.

“You could physically see them—like I could put my hand into my stomach and grab them like eggs,” Twigs said. Still, she avoided seeking treatment until her pain was so terrible that she needed immediate medical care.

“I was working so much,” she explains, “and I was so determined [to] make an album, that I actually knew that I had some sort of growth in my stomach for a long time, and I didn’t do anything. I assumed that I had stomach cancer and that I was going to die. It was kind of this underlying stress that I have never told anyone about.”

FKA Twigs and the Road to Recovery

The good news is that, six months later, the singer was feeling better and ready to share a message with other struggling women: “I know that a lot of women suffer from fibroid tumours and I just wanted to say after my experience that you are amazing warriors and that you are not alone. you can get through this,” she said, concluding, “and with this I let go of the pain… love always twigs.”

And, two years later, her message is still empowering other women living with the pain of uterine tumors. After Twigs’ appearance, TTYA host Irene Agbontaen said, “When Twigs first told me she had fibroids – I have to be honest I didn’t realize how many women suffer from them. The more she educated me and the more research I did I was so surprised by the high percentage of women of color who have fibroids. Twigs is a very shy and private person, but she was so passionate about telling her story.”

Finding Alternative Fibroid Treatments

We are so thankful that laproscopic surgery helped FKA Twigs feel like herself again; certainly, many women have been helped by similar procedure. Still, any kind of surgery is traumatic to your body, so why go under the knife if there’s another option?

Thankfully, there is! Known as Uterine Fibroid Embolization (UFE), it’s a minimally invasive fibroid treatment delivered through a catheter inserted into your arm. Women can typically avoid hospital stays with this outpatient procedure and most feel well enough to stand up and walk immediately afterwards.

So to all of Ms. Twigs’ fellow fibroid warriors, we say: know your options. Come into our Houston Fibroids office and find out if UFE is right for you!

Sources: Grazia Magazine

3 Ways to Avoid Fibroid Surgery

Posted on July 13, 2020July 13, 2020 by Houston Fibroids in Fibroid Symptoms, Treatment Options

We need to provide more alternatives to fibroid surgery in this country. Too many women with fibroids—non-cancerous tumors of the uterus—get hysterectomies (complete uterus removal). In fact, fibroids are the top reason women in the U.S. get hysterectomies. Because it’s such a serious surgery, many women opt for less invasive fibroid treatments. In our office, we offer Uterine Fibroid Embolization, a non-surgical treatment that shrinks your fibroids.

Oral and Minimally Invasive Alternatives to Fibroid Surgery

Recently, the FDA approved a new oral medication for women with fibroids, that’s expected to be available later this month. Called Oriahnn, the pill combines estrogen, progestin, and elagolix (a gonadotropin-releasing hormone). It’s important to note that this pill doesn’t shrink your fibroids. Instead, it decreases fibroid symptoms like heavy bleeding.

How effective is this pill? A recent study highlights the effects of elagolix, just one piece of the new drug’s puzzle. Over the course of two and a half years, they followed 433 women who had fibroids and heavy menstrual bleeding. 67% of participating women were African American, since black women are disproportionately affected by fibroids.

Women who took elagolix did get relief from heavy periods, but they also suffered hot flashes, night sweats, and bone loss. In contrast, 90% of the women who took a mix of elagolix, estradiol and norethindrone acetate (“add-back therapy”) experienced reduced blood loss, but with fewer side effects. The “Add-back” therapy combatted effects of stopping estrogen and progestin, as Oriahnn does. Some of these women saw their uterus size decrease. But their fibroids did not shrink.

Also, this pill won’t prevent pregnancy, even though it’s hormonal. And, studies note that taking the medication can cause long-term bone loss. Which means that you can’t take the pill for more than two years. That leads us to the question: what next? Unfortunately, once you stop taking this pill, your fibroid symptoms would return, sending you back to the start of your treatment journey. And, since they don’t want that journey to end in a hysterectomy, researchers at Michigan State University are trying to figure out why fibroids form in the first place. Because, in doing so, they hope to keep every woman from being pushed towards hysterectomy because of fibroid tumors.

Genes and Fibroids: The Newly Discovered Connection

In the course of this study, researchers at MSU’s College of Human Medicine discovered that HOXA13, a gene associated with fibroids, was connected to a process, known as homeotic transformation, that causes uterine muscle cells to turn into cells more typically found inside your cervix.

“It’s a cell type in a position where it doesn’t belong,” explained lead researcher Dr. Jose Teixeira said. “This was a surprise.”

Katy Fibroid Clinic — New research on fibroids could drastically reduce the number of women who are treated with hysterectomies.

But this discovery isn’t just informative: it could change the way we treat fibroids. Specifically, new treatments could target the chain of events that causes your cells to change. That way, you could treat existing tumors with less invasive treatments, such as Uterine Fibroid Embolization. Then, you could use molecular therapy to prevent any new tumors from forming.

As Teixeira explains, “The discovery that fibroid tumors have characteristics of cervical cells could be a key to better treatments. For example, among pregnant women, the cervix typically softens just before delivery. Figuring out what causes the cervix to soften could suggest new therapies that soften the fibroid tumors and prevent or inhibit their growth.” And, if that works out, you could eliminate any hysterectomy discussions!

What’s Next for Fibroid Research?

While new therapies are still going to take a while, this research is already changing the way scientists study fibroids. Now, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is funding a follow-up fibroid study. It’s focus? Texeira says he wants to discover: “Is there a place where we can intervene? That’s the follow-up. If we can find out what’s causing the cervical softening, then we might be able to investigate treatment.” And that could stop fibroid growth before a tumor ever forms.

Sources: Harvard Health, National Library of Medicine, FDA.Gov, Cell Reports Journal

3 Surprising Hysterectomy Side Effects

Posted on June 29, 2020June 29, 2020 by Houston Fibroids in Treatment Options

Many women with fibroids think they need a hysterectomy—a surgical removal of the uterus. Some are told it’s the only way to relieve fibroid symptoms. But there are less invasive treatments available, like uterine fibroid embolization (UFE). This is a problem because, no matter what the reason, women who undergo hysterectomies face major surgery complications. And now, studies show that hysterectomies may also lead to mental health struggles.

How a Hysterectomy can Hurt Your Mental Health

Women’s risk for anxiety and depression increase after hysterectomy, according to a study in the journal Menopause.

To reach this conclusion, researchers reviewed the medical records of 2,094 hysterectomy patients. For this study, none of those women had cancer. Next, they compared the records to those of same-aged women who hadn’t had a hysterectomy. And then they followed both groups for 22 years.

As it turns out, woman’s risk for depression relatively increased by 26 percent with hysterectomy. And the risk for anxiety increased by 22 percent after hysterectomy. Researchers discovered that age matters, too. In young women, who had a hysterectomy before 35, there was a 47 percent increased risk for depression. Also, the anxiety risk increased by 45 percent. Outside of cancer, the reason for the hysterectomy didn’t seem to impact the increased risk of mental health issues.

According to lead study author, Dr. Shannon K. Laughlin-Tommaso, an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the Mayo Clinic, “Hysterectomy is right for some women. But there is this 4 to 6 percent of women who will be affected by depression or anxiety. We’re hoping women will talk with their doctors and see if there’s any alternative they could use instead.”

Uterine Surgery May Interfere with Memory

Depression isn’t the only way hysterectomy may affect your brain function. According to a new, prehuman trial from Arizona State University, a hysterectomy could impact your memory. Now, if that sounds strange, it is. But here’s what we know: your ovaries and brain are connected. So your estrogen and progesterone levels impact your memory. But we now know that your uterus is tied to your autonomic nervous system. Which means that losing your uterus could affect your cognitive ability.

In order to illustrate this fact, Dr. Heather Bimonte-Nelson studied rats before and after a hysterectomy. Allowing for 6 weeks of recovery time, the study tested their post-hysterectomy working memory. And here’s the bad news: after hysterectomy, rats couldn’t navigate a maze they used to complete. In comparison, rats who kept their uterus had no problem finishing the maze. In other words, losing their uterus directly impacted rat memory. Clearly, this study has troubling implications for human females.

UFE: The non-surgical fibroid treatment option

Thankfully, many women with fibroids can find a non-surgical alternative to hysterectomy in our Houston-area practice. Using imagine, catheters and an injection, we are able to cut off blood flow to your fibroids, which makes them shrink and, eventually, disappear. It’s a minimally invasive procedure, usually not involving a hospital stay.

If you have fibroids and are concerned about having a hysterectomy, reach out to our doctors. We can help you determine if UFE is the right treatment option for you.

Sources: Menopause, The New York Times, Journal of Endocrinology

Important Fact on UAE and other Adenomyosis Treatments

Posted on June 10, 2020June 8, 2020 by Houston Fibroids in Treatment Options

Adenomyosis is a benign, non-life threatening condition. But its very painful, and patients need relief. Unfortunately, doctors often confuse adenomyosis with uterine fibroids and other conditions, so it can be difficult to diagnose without proper medical attention.

One of the newer treatments for Adenomyosis is UAE, or Uterine Artery Embolization. How does its effectiveness stack up against other treatments?

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