A uterine myoma is a type of benign tumor that develops in the womb or uterus. The fact that they are located in this region is frightening. However, if the patient does not present symptoms or discomfort, they are not usually operated on, since they do not represent a cancer risk.
What is a uterine fibroid and how often do they occur?
Uterine fibroids are the most common pelvic tumors in women, and arise from the smooth muscle cells of the myometrium, which is the muscle from which the uterus or womb is formed. They appear at reproductive age and may or may not be associated with symptoms or discomfort. In general they are not hereditary, but in some women a familial tendency is observed. On the other hand, they are more frequent in black women, and women who have never had children are more predisposed to develop fibroids. They are not found in girls or adolescents.
Symptoms caused by a uterine fibroid
A woman who has fibroids may have heavy or frequent menstrual bleeding, painful periods and/or pelvic pain, pain during sexual intercourse or a feeling of pressure in the lower abdomen. They can also cause difficulty in getting pregnant, and during pregnancy, those located within the uterine cavity, may be associated with miscarriage, placental abruption, interfere with the growth of the baby or its proper positioning for delivery, or premature delivery. Other difficulties that fibroids can cause, especially if they are large, are urine leakage or constipation, pressing on the bladder or rectum, chronic pain and abdominal bulging.
However, a woman who has fibroids does not always have discomfort, it all depends on where they are located and their size. In many cases they are diagnosed during the examination of a healthy woman without discomfort who comes for a gynecological examination, or during pregnancy, but if the patient has heavy and/or very painful periods, and associated anemia, she may benefit from treatment.
How to diagnose a uterine fibroid
Uterine myoma is usually diagnosed during the clinical examination in the gynecology office, and its presence is confirmed by vaginal or abdominal ultrasound, although sometimes Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is necessary to define the organs well, in case of significant growth or when it is necessary to differentiate them from other types of tumors. Other useful tests are hysteroscopy and hysterosalpingography, which would be recommended based on the patient’s problem and at the gynecologist’s discretion.
How to approach a uterine myoma and the probability or not of malignancy.
Fibroids are always benign, it has not been demonstrated that they have the potential to become cancerous, but in the event of drastic changes in the growth of a known fibroid, or certain characteristics of the ultrasound scan, MRI is usually performed or even removal is recommended. However, uterine corpus uteri cancer can arise in any woman with or without fibroids, although fortunately it is one of the rarest. In any case, when a fibroid is removed, the tissue is always checked to rule out hidden cancer, even when they appear benign.
Currently, uterine fibroids can be treated in many ways, and surgical treatment can be avoided in many patients, since they usually decrease in size and some discomfort subsides naturally with the onset of menopause. However, depending on the symptoms, location and size of the fibroids, as well as the patient’s needs, removal, hormonal treatment and anti-hormonal treatment may be offered. In general, it is not indicated to treat a patient who has no symptoms.
In women who have difficulty becoming pregnant, removal is often recommended. If they are removed, and until before menopause occurs, there is always a possibility that fibroids may return (if the uterus is retained). However, it tends to be less frequent or less exaggerated growth after the age of 35.
As can be seen, the varied manifestations of these benign tumors do not have a single treatment and the decision must be adjusted to the patient’s profile, her age, whether she has already had the desired pregnancies, and the presence, intensity and severity of her symptoms. Every woman with fibroids will decide, under the advice of her trusted gynecologist, both the type of treatment and the follow-up that best suits her needs and state of health.