Fibroid Growth Study

我们收集了各种数据，从随着时间推移(多达4个时间点)的肿瘤(肌瘤)体积的MRI测量，到从选择手术的女性获得的肿瘤基因表达微阵列数据。 目前，我们正在分析和总结迄今为止在这项研究中获得的各种数据。 我们研究了肿瘤生长与患者特征(种族、年龄和肌瘤数量)和肿瘤特征(子宫大小和位置)的关系。总共有72名女性参与了这项研究，总共贡献了262个肿瘤用于生长分析。 所有262个肿瘤的体积至少在两个时间点被测量。 我们对这一数据的初步分析表明，无论是在女性之间还是在女性内部，肿瘤的平均生长都存在显著的差异。有趣的是，女性内部的差异是女性之间的两倍。黑人和白人根据年龄的不同有不同的肌瘤生长模式。在年轻女性(35岁)中，肌瘤生长速度没有因种族而异。然而，白人的增长率随着年龄的增长而下降，但黑人没有。白人的肿瘤在6个月内生长超过20%的几率也随着年龄的增长而降低，但黑人的几率却没有下降。生长速度不受肿瘤大小、位置、体重指数或胎次的影响。子宫肌瘤会自发消退。同一个女人的肌瘤生长速度不同，尽管荷尔蒙环境是一致的。规模并不能预测增长率。黑人和白人之间肌瘤生长速度的年龄差异可能是黑人女性症状负担较高的原因之一。

We have collected a variety of data, ranging from MRI measurements of tumor (fibroid) volumes over time (up to 4 time points) to gene expression microarray data obtained on tumors from women who opted for surgery. Currently we are in the process of analyzing and summarizing various data obtained in this study so far. We examined tumor growth in relation to patient characteristics (ethnicity, age, and number of fibroids) and tumor characteristics (size and position in the uterus). In all there were 72 women in the study contributing a total of 262 tumors for the analysis of growth. Volumes of all 262 tumors were measured at least at two time points. Our preliminary analysis of this data suggests that there was a significant variability in average tumor growth both, both between and within women. Interestingly, within woman variation was twice that of between women. Blacks and whites had different patterns of fibroid growth depending on age. Among young women (<35), fibroid growth rate did not vary by ethnicity. However, growth rates declined with age for whites but not blacks. The odds of a tumor growing more than 20% in six months also decreased with age for whites but not for blacks. Growth rates were not influenced by tumor size, location, BMI, or parity. Spontaneous regression of fibroids occurs. Fibroids from the same woman grow at different rates, despite a uniform hormonal milieu. Size does not predict growth rate. Age-related differences in fibroid growth rates between blacks and whites may contribute to the higher symptom burden for black women.