Abstract
Uterine leiomyomata (UL) have a substantial impact on women's health, but relatively few studies have identified opportunities for primary prevention of these neoplasms. Most established risk factors are not modifiable, including premenopausal age, African ancestry, age at menarche, and childbearing history. The main challenge in studying UL is that a large proportion of tumors are asymptomatic. Herein, we review the epidemiology of UL from published studies to date. We highlight the advantages of ultrasound screening studies and the ways in which their innovative methods have helped clarify the etiology of disease. We conclude with a discussion of promising new hypotheses.
MeSH terms
-
Age Distribution
-
Age Factors
-
Alcohol Drinking / epidemiology
-
Black People / statistics & numerical data
-
Caffeine
-
Diabetes Mellitus / epidemiology
-
Diet / statistics & numerical data
-
Female
-
Humans
-
Incidence
-
Insulin Resistance
-
Leiomyoma / diagnostic imaging
-
Leiomyoma / epidemiology*
-
Leiomyoma / ethnology
-
Mass Screening
-
Menarche*
-
Menopause*
-
Motor Activity
-
Overweight / epidemiology
-
Parity
-
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / epidemiology
-
Prevalence
-
Protective Factors
-
Reproductive History*
-
Risk Factors
-
Smoking / epidemiology
-
Stress, Psychological / epidemiology
-
Ultrasonography
-
Uterine Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
-
Uterine Neoplasms / epidemiology*
-
Uterine Neoplasms / ethnology
-
White People / statistics & numerical data