Hormonal therapy for lesions of the endometrium.

Megestrol acetate, 20 to 40 mg/d, was given continuously to 70 postmenopausal women with a variety of endometrial hyperplastic changes. All patients were followed up with periodic endometrial biopsies. The study was conducted for 14 years with mean patient follow-up of more than 5 years. In 65 patients (93%), surgery was avoided due to this protocol. No patient developed endometrial carcinoma, and there were no major side effects. This regimen proved to be most effective in preventing hysterectomy in postmenopausal patients who presented with surgical risk factors and endometrial hyperplasia.