Fibroids & New Genetic Research
I found a fascinating article about a study that was released a couple of months ago about the genetic connection to uterine fibroid tumors and keloid scarring.
It was a study conducted by Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS) and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development of the National Institutes of Health and published in July 2004 in the journal Genes, Chromosomes and Cancer. You can read an article about it here at the National Institutes of Health. (The actual study bears the name "Involvement of fumarate hydratase in nonsyndromic uterine leiomyomas.")
Basically it found that the lack of a key protein that helps to bind tissues is lacking in women who have fibroids and women who have keloid scarring. It seems (and this is me making assumptions form the article which is rather technical in spots) that the lack of this protein means that structures supported by collagen are disorganized, instead of being in the normal discrete strands pattern that allows cells to grow in an organized fashion, they grow in disjointed strings and it seems the the body doesn't know where it's supposed to start and end and it can cause lumpy, disorganized, out-of-control growths.
I find this interesting on a lot of levels. First, when my doctor did my pre-op appointment we talked about how she was going to close the incision and at first she said staples, but then asked me what my scars look like. I showed her a particularly bad one which started as a half inch, five stitch thing where I had a biopsy done when I turned eighteen and is now two inches long and almost a third of an inch wide in the center. She called it a keloid and said that she'd do a plastic surgery incision to avoid scarring like that. So I'm guessing that there's a good chance that whatever made me make keloids is what allows fibroids to grow in me too.
I also think it's promising that someone's working on this and perhaps there can be some gene therapy for this or maybe just some injections to supplement this key protein that's missing in women who start developing fibroids in order to stop them from growing.
Any questions or feedback? Feel free to email me.
Posted by Elizabeth M. on August 27, 2004 7:34 PM
Why don't you call HErs up and ask them? They have a 1 800 number where woman call to get second opinion doctor referals and genral information.
You're right. I appreciate that HERS has such a comprehensive list of doctors that can provide other procedures to solve a woman's problems. There are many parts of the country where getting referrals to doctors who are versed in these procedures is more difficult than someplace like Los Angeles.However, I don't care for the scare tactics they take on their website. I would like to see far more reasoned approaches to letting women know what the choices are. I think they should focus more on educating women (and with a website, let's face it, space is pretty much free) about their own bodies and all the different treatments as they appropriate for different diagnoses.(I appreciate your comments, but in the future, I'd love to know at least a first name in case we start a dialogue.)
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TITLE: Fibroid Insight
AUTHOR: Elizabeth M.
DATE: 8/27/2004 06:38:50 PM
i have keloids on my labia area and looking for treatment ideas on this.
Location:
Southern California
About Me: I'm in my late thirties and suffered with large fibroids until August '04 when I had a supracervical hysterectomy. Keep reading as I'll cover topics on long-term recovery from hysterectomy.
Links
PelvicFloor.com
All About Myomectomy
Fibroids
HysterSisters
Recent Entries
- Two Years
- Beautiful Nails
- Cycle on Track
- Late Cycle Again
- New Year's Resolutions
- The Mini-Period
- Always Wondering About the Fallout
- Sleeping Better
- Trouble Sleeping
- Another Reason to Investigate All Options
- Popping a Stitch
- Southpaws and Breast Cancer
- Dealing with Regrets
- Focused Ultrasound as Treatment for Fibroids
- Honored
Hers is a reputable foundation that has helped many women avoid unecessary hysterectomies. I personally know of a a womann who was sent for a second opinion to a doctor on their referal list who avoided an unecessary hysterectomy and received a less invasive procedure. Hers has great merit as an organization that helps woman.