Effects of parity and gestational age on second-trimester induction-abortion interval in combination with osmotic dilators and gemeprost.

Background: The true prognostic factors for induced medical abortion are unknown. We sought to investigate the effects of a patient's obstetric parameters on the induction-abortion interval in second-trimester medical abortion.

Study Design: We studied 216 consecutive women.

Fasudil inhibits the proliferation and contractility and induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis of human endometriotic stromal cells: a promising agent for the treatment of endometriosis.

Context: During the development of endometriotic lesions, excess fibrosis may lead to scarring and to the alterations of tissue function that are the characteristic features of this disease. Enhanced extracellular matrix contractility of endometriotic stromal cells (ECSC) mediated by the mevalonate-Ras homology (Rho)/Rho-associated coiled-coil-forming protein kinase (ROCK) pathway has been shown to contribute to the pathogenesis of endometriosis.

Design: To assess the use of fasudil, a selective ROCK inhibitor, for the medical treatment of endometriosis-associated fibrosis, the effects of this agent on the cell proliferation, apoptosis, cell cycle, morphology, cell density, and contractility of ECSC were investigated.

Application of the histone deacetylase inhibitors for the treatment of endometriosis: histone modifications as pathogenesis and novel therapeutic target.

Background: Accumulating evidence suggests that various epigenetic aberrations play definite roles in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. We investigated the histone acetylation status in endometriosis and the application of the histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACIs) for the treatment of endometriosis.

Methods: The levels of acetylated histones in the endometriotic cyst stromal cells (ECSCs) and normal endometrial stromal cells (NESCs) were evaluated.

Aberrant expression of apoptosis-related molecules in endometriosis: a possible mechanism underlying the pathogenesis of endometriosis.

Endometriosis, a disease affecting 3% to 10% of women of reproductive age, is characterized by the ectopic growth of endometrial tissue under the influence of estrogen. It is also becoming recognized as a condition in which ectopic endometrial cells exhibit abnormal proliferative and apoptotic regulation in response to appropriate stimuli. Apoptosis plays a critical role in maintaining tissue homeostasis and represents a normal function to eliminate excess or dysfunctional cells.

Attachment to extracellular matrices is enhanced in human endometriotic stromal cells: a possible mechanism underlying the pathogenesis of endometriosis.

Objective: Endometriosis is characterized by the ectopic growth of endometrial tissue. One of the first steps to the spread of endometriosis in the peritoneal cavity is the attachment of endometriotic cells to peritoneal surfaces after they have been released into the peritoneal fluid from pre-existing endometriotic lesions. The increased adhesive and proliferative potential of endometriotic cells in response to specific extracellular matrix (ECM) components has been suggested to contribute to the pathogenesis of endometriosis.

Synchronous ovarian endometrioid adenocarcinoma with a functioning stroma and endometrial endometrioid adenocarcinoma by different loss of heterozygosity findings.

Purpose: Mucinous epithelial ovarian tumors generally have estrogenic stroma, although the frequency of endometrioid adenocarcinoma with functioning stroma is very low. And while synchronous development of carcinomas in the endometrium and ovaries is a fairly common phenomenon, the distinction of a single clonal tumor with metastasis from two independent primary tumors may present a diagnostic challenge. We present a rare case of a 31-year-old woman with endometrioid adenocarcinoma of the ovary with functioning stroma and endometrial endometrioid adenocarcinoma who showed symptoms of virilization.

Novel target genes responsive to the anti-growth activity of triptolide in endometrial and ovarian cancer cells.

Triptolide (TPL), a bioactive component of the Chinese medicinal herb Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F, induces apoptosis in some lines of human tumor cells. However, the effect of TPL on gynecologic cancer cells has not yet been well-described. We investigated the effects of TPL on cell growth, cell cycle, and apoptosis in endometrial and ovarian cancer cell lines.

Simvastatin inhibits the proliferation and the contractility of human endometriotic stromal cells: a promising agent for the treatment of endometriosis.

Simvastatin significantly inhibited the proliferation of endometriotic stromal cells, attenuated the collagen gel contraction mediated by these cells, and suppressed endometriotic stromal cell attachment to collagen fibers. Simvastatin is considered to be a promising agent for the treatment of endometriosis-associated fibrosis, which is among the major pathologies caused by endometriosis.

Decidualization attenuates the contractility of eutopic and ectopic endometrial stromal cells: implications for hormone therapy of endometriosis.

Context: Decidualization of the endometrium involves the morphological and biochemical reprogramming of the estrogen-primed proliferative endometrial stromal compartment under the continuing influence of progesterone.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the involvement of the extracellular matrix contractility of eutopic and ectopic endometrial stromal cells during the tissue remodeling processes associated with decidualization.

Design: The effect of decidualization on the contractile profile of the endometriotic cyst stromal cells and eutopic endometrial stromal cells with or without endometriosis in the three-dimensional collagen gel culture was investigated using laser scanning microscopy, collagen gel contraction assays, and Western blot analysis.

Heparin is a promising agent for the treatment of endometriosis-associated fibrosis.

Objective: To assess the use of heparin for the medical treatment of endometriosis-associated fibrosis.

Design: The effects of heparin on the endometriotic stromal cells (ECSCs)-mediated contractility were investigated.

Setting: Research laboratory at a medical school.

A case of benign metastasizing leiomyoma treated by surgical castration followed by an aromatase inhibitor, anastrozole.

Background: Benign metastasizing leiomyoma (BML) is a rare disease most often located in the lungs of women with a history of surgery for benign leiomyoma of the uterus. Optimum therapy for BML, has not been established. We report here an additional case of BML in the lung that was successfully treated with surgical castration followed by hormonal therapy with anastrozole, an aromatase inhibitor.