Breast
Care
Scientists and research groups are
working to improve the way breast cancer is treated. Current treatments
have helped many women survive breast cancer, but they are not always
effective and often have unpleasant side effects. Some research is
directed at finding better ways to use currently available drugs. For
example, by using different combinations, or by adjusting the doses used, current
drugs may be more effective in treating breast cancer and may have
fewer side effects. Other research is focused on developing new drugs for
the treatment of breast cancer
Endometriosis
Current treatment for endometriosis may
involve medications or surgical procedures. For many women these
therapies provide significant relief. However, these therapies can
have side effects and may not work for everyone. Therefore,
researchers are investigating new and improved treatments strategies.
Many involve enhanced hormonal agents and some are related to recent
insights into the immune system and its role in endometriosis.
Infertility
Historically, interest in the diagnosis
and treatment of infertility has lagged behind that of many other fields
in medicine. Moreover, advances in treating male infertility
have been outpaced by those in female infertility. As a result,
many of the standard treatments for infertility, particularly male factor
infertility, are either incompletely understood or incompletely tested. Many
experimental therapies are therefore extensions of standard therapies. This
is true for all three types of treatment for male factor infertility:
pharmacologic, surgical, and those involving assisted reproductive
technologies (ART).
Pregnancy
and Birth
Unfortunately, there has been
limited progress in the treatment of recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL). This
is for several reasons. Scientists still have a poor
understanding of the causes of RPL. Inconsistent
definition of the condition has made it difficult to compare and
evaluate clinical trials for RPL. The clinical trials
themselves can be substandard. Finally, data indicate
that most RPL patients will, in fact, have a successful pregnancy
the next time they conceive. This makes demonstrating
treatment success difficult, requiring very large study populations
for appropriate statistical analysis. |
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