The Analysis of the Localization and Size of Uterine Myomas with Biochemical Parameters

Project no. 32004 · Status: Kapanmış (Yayın bekleniyor) · 2023

Summary

Uterine leiomyomas, or uterine fibroids, are steroid hormone-sensitive, benign monoclonal tumors of the smooth muscle of the uterus (myometrium). The most common reproductive system tumor in women, uterine leiomyomas pose a significant quality of life problem for a large portion of the population. It is estimated that 77% of all women will develop a leiomyoma during their lifetime, and 15% to 30% of these women will experience significant symptoms. Despite being benign, uterine leiomyomas are associated with significant morbidity; they are the primary indication for hysterectomy and are a significant source of gynecologic and reproductive dysfunction, ranging from menorrhagia and pelvic pain to infertility, recurrent pregnancy loss, and preterm birth. The most important and frequently reported risk factor for uterine leiomyomas is race, which disproportionately affects African American women. Other risk factors include advanced age, being premenopausal, family history of leiomyoma, hypertension, food additives, and frequent consumption of soybean milk. On the other hand, protective factors for uterine leiomyomas include combined oral contraception or injectable medroxyprogesterone acetate in depot form, and smoking in low-weight and parity women. Other important risk factors include obesity, vitamin D deficiency, excessive vitamin E levels, altered reproductive microbiome, and exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (e.g., organophosphate esters and plasticizers). Individual and environmental risk factors associated with tobacco and alcohol abuse may also contribute to the development of uterine leiomyomas. Given the importance of molecular processes in the development of uterine leiomyomas, there is a wide range of molecular tools and resources that can be used to develop better detection, classification, and treatment methods. Clinically, tumor biomarkers may be useful for identifying women at high risk of developing rapidly growing leiomyomas and for distinguishing this benign condition from other pathological conditions. Several biomarkers, including leptin, VEGF, ghrelin, and CA125, show increased serum levels in women with uterine leiomyomas compared to women without uterine leiomyomas. However, only a few of these show significant differences between healthy and myoma patients and can be used in clinical practice. In addition, biomarkers may be used to differentiate uterine leiomyomas from other uterine malignancies to improve prognosis and treatment, for example, in deciding whether complete resection of the uterus is necessary. One study found that doublecortin, calpain 6, interleukin-17B, and proteolipid protein 1 were highly expressed in leiomyomas compared to normal myometrium and eighteen other tissues. In this study, in order to evaluate the localization and dimensions of leiomyoma in patients who are scheduled for surgery due to the diagnosis of uterine leiomyoma, GDF-15 and IL-17 values will be compared with the ELISA method in both myoma tissue, normal myometrium tissue and serum samples, and only in serum samples in the healthy volunteer group.

View details