HCM CITY – Many advances and medical updates in treating endometriosis in Việt Nam were shared at a series of scientific conferences jointly organised by Bayer Vietnam, the HCM City Society for Reproductive Medicine and the National Obstetrics and Gynaecology Hospital.

The conferences heard that endometriosis is a chronic, progressive disease where tissue resembling the lining of the womb (the endometrium) is found outside the womb, forming endometriotic lesions which cause pain and inflammation.

These lesions are most often found on the ovaries and other organs within a woman’s pelvis, but can also spread to other parts of the body.

Left untreated, the lesions will continue to proliferate throughout the pelvis and possibly beyond and will typically eventually require surgery. 

Dr Sony Singh, director of minimally invasive gynaecology, department of obstetrics and gynaecology, University of Ottawa, Canada, said: “Endometriosis places a heavy burden on women in the prime of their life. In those affected, the disease may cause significant pain and this can impact every aspect of a woman’s life. The sooner the pelvic pain is addressed, even in young girls, the better the quality of life.”

There is no cure for endometriosis and treatment of the disease aims to relieve pain, slow the growth of the endometriosis, improve fertility (where desired) and/or prevent the disease from relapsing after successful treatment. 

Singh said : "Once diagnosed, patients require long-term care and follow-up to help manage symptoms. Options include surgery, medicines or fertility treatment in those who have difficulties getting pregnant.”

With the development of science, many advanced treatments have been discovered to help women living with endometriosis.

One of them is the new oral progestin treatment.

Bayer has recently launched a new oral progestin treatment, which has proven to be highly effective in relieving the pain caused by endometriosis.

Singh said: "The good news for women living with endometriosis in Việt Nam is that recently there is an oral progestin treatment taken once daily, which is an important management option for patients with the disease as it has been proven to relieve the chronic, debilitating pelvic pain caused by endometriosis including menstrual pain and pain during sexual intercourse.

“This is the first new treatment here in Vietnam in more than a decade to help these women, which is encouraging."

Clinical studies have shown that the new oral progestin treatment is as effective at relieving the pain of endometriosis as existing gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogue (GnRH-analogues) treatments, and is superior to placebo.

In clinical studies, this new therapy has shown continuous pain relief over 15 months of treatment.

The effectiveness of the new oral treatment in reducing pain and improving the quality of life has also been proven in real-world clinical practice. 

In an Asian study, the new treatment positively influenced health-related quality of life in all assessed domains, especially the “pain” domain, which was improved by 78.4 per cent. Endometriosis-associated pelvic pain was effectively reduced in patients, both surgically and clinically diagnosed.

Results from study indicate that the new oral treatment could be a potential first-line therapy for long-term management of endometriosis-related pain.

“We are committed to improving the health and well-being of women and their families everywhere through research and development of new treatment options for diseases primarily afflicting this population,” Dr. Lynette Moey, country head of the pharmaceuticals division, Bayer Việt Nam, said.

“As endometriosis is a long-lasting gynaecological condition that causes dramatic and recurrent pain, turning a woman’s life upside down, there is a need for an effective and well-tolerated treatment that can be used over a long period of time.

“The novel oral progestin addresses this need with an endometriosis-specific therapy that has the same efficacy as the current therapeutic standard but with significantly less side effects, thus allowing for long-term treatment.”

Prof. Nguyễn Thị Ngọc Phượng, vice president of the Vietnam Gynaecology and Obstetrics Association, and president of the HCM City Society for Reproductive Medicine, said: "It is very common for women to live for several years with the severe pelvic pain of endometriosis before receiving an official diagnosis. 

“This often means a delay in disease management, negatively impacting their professional, social and psychological life. 

"Women should not think that pelvic pain is just a ‘normal’ symptom associated with menstrual periods, but they need to know this may be one of the symptoms of endometriosis.

“Endometriosis can occur in 10 per cent of women and it is important for them to speak with their doctor for early diagnosis and treatment when they suffer from pelvic pain.

“The new medical therapy is a good option for women with the disease, especially for young women who want to have more children." VNS