REGRESSION OF PERITONEAL LEIOMYOMATOSIS AFTER TREATMENT WITH GONADOTROPIN-RELEASING-HORMONE ANALOG

A case of a 42-year-old woman with peritoneal leiomyomatosis (PL) unrelated to pregnancy or any other obvious hormonal source is presented. After treatment with leuprolide acetate for six months, a second-look operation revealed that the majority of the nodules totally regressed. The few remaining ones were substantially reduced in size and exhibited histopathologic evidence of fibrotic change. This response to treatment is documented here for the first time. Since this case was not associated with initial abnormally raised hormonal levels, the regression was caused solely by the treatment and not by the removal of any hormonal stimulus. The usefulness of GnRH analogues in the treatment of PL is proposed.