Is There a Best Approach to Treating Women with Symptomatic Leiomyomas?

Leiomyomas, the most common benign tumors of the female reproductive tract, cause pain, bleeding, and urinary changes, thereby negatively affecting quality of life (QOL) for many women. Leiomyomas also are the most common reason for hysterectomy, although other treatment options include myomectomy and uterine artery embolization (UAE). To determine which of these approaches is most effective in symptomatic women (age range, 30–50), investigators conducted a multicenter observational prospective study to evaluate QOL at baseline compared with QOL at 12 months after treatment and QOL in a comparator group of 101 women who were seen for well visits. In all, 106 participants underwent hysterectomies, 107 underwent UAE, and 61 underwent myomecto…