Successful management of a leiomyomatosis peritonealis disseminata with an aromatase inhibitor.

BACKGROUND: Leiomyomatosis peritonealis disseminata is a rare disease characterized by multifocal proliferation of smooth muscle-like cells that are histologically similar to uterine leiomyoma. High levels of female gonadal steroids are considered to play an important role in the pathogenesis of leiomyomatosis peritonealis disseminata. CASE: A 68-year-old woman was referred to our hospital for pelvic tumor and multiple intraabdominal solid masses. After laparotomy, she was diagnosed as having leiomyomatosis peritonealis disseminata. Most of the disseminated tumors were nonresectable. Raloxifene was ineffective for the control of these tumors. Anastrozole was effective for the control of tumor growth and her symptoms. CONCLUSION: Anastrozole was useful for the management of postmenopausal nonresectable leiomyomatosis peritonealis disseminata. It is possible that the condition produces estrogen in situ, which promotes its growth in an autocrine/paracrine fashion.

Effectiveness of the herbal medicine daikenchuto for radiation-induced enteritis.

BACKGROUND: Radiation-induced enteritis is a serious clinical problem for which there is currently no recommended standard management. Daikenchuto (DKT) is a Japanese herbal medicine that has been used to treat adhesive bowel obstruction in Japan. This report describes a patient with radiation-induced enteritis whose clinical symptoms were much improved by treatment with DKT. METHOD: The patient was administered DKT, a traditional Japanese herbal formula, orally (2.5 g 3 times daily). Abdominal distention was evaluated objectively with computed tomography. RESULTS: Gastrointestinal symptoms associated with radiation-induced enteritis were controlled successfully with DKT treatment. CONCLUSIONS: DKT treatment may be useful for the management of radiation-induced enteritis.

Relationship between metabolic syndrome and uterine leiomyomas: a case-control study.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Uterine leiomyomas are the most common gynecological benign tumor and greatly affect reproductive health and well-being. The pathophysiology and epidemiology of fibroids are poorly understood. Obesity and elevated blood pressure have been reported to be predisposing factors. In this study, we investigated whether fibroids are associated with some criteria of the metabolic syndrome. METHODS: The case patients were 213 women who underwent hysterectomy or myomectomy for fibroids, and the control subjects were 159 women who underwent operation for benign indications other than fibroids. Preoperative information on body mass index (BMI), blood pressure (BP), serum triglyceride (TG) and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) was obtained from medical records. The patients were classified as overweight if they had a preoperatively measured BMI of > or =24.0, hypertensive if BP was > or =140/90 mm Hg, hypertriglyceridemic if TG was > or =150 mg/dl, and hyperglycemic if FPG was > or =110 mg/dl. RESULTS: BMI, BP, TG and FPG were significantly higher in the case group compared with the control group. In logistic regression analysis, fibroids were statistically significantly associated with being overweight and hypertensive. With the combination of these risk factors, the risk of fibroids increased. CONCLUSION: Uterine leiomyomas may share pathogenic features with the development of metabolic syndrome.