IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v19y2022i21p14230-d958718.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Future Perspectives of Ectopic Pregnancy Treatment—Review of Possible Pharmacological Methods

Author

Listed:
  • Milena Leziak

    (I Chair and Department of Oncological Gynaecology and Gynaecology, Student Scientific Association, Medical University of Lublin, 20-081 Lublin, Poland)

  • Klaudia Żak

    (I Chair and Department of Oncological Gynaecology and Gynaecology, Student Scientific Association, Medical University of Lublin, 20-081 Lublin, Poland)

  • Karolina Frankowska

    (I Chair and Department of Oncological Gynaecology and Gynaecology, Student Scientific Association, Medical University of Lublin, 20-081 Lublin, Poland)

  • Aleksandra Ziółkiewicz

    (I Chair and Department of Oncological Gynaecology and Gynaecology, Student Scientific Association, Medical University of Lublin, 20-081 Lublin, Poland)

  • Weronika Perczyńska

    (I Chair and Department of Oncological Gynaecology and Gynaecology, Student Scientific Association, Medical University of Lublin, 20-081 Lublin, Poland)

  • Monika Abramiuk

    (I Chair and Department of Oncological Gynaecology and Gynaecology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-081 Lublin, Poland)

  • Rafał Tarkowski

    (I Chair and Department of Oncological Gynaecology and Gynaecology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-081 Lublin, Poland)

  • Krzysztof Kułak

    (I Chair and Department of Oncological Gynaecology and Gynaecology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-081 Lublin, Poland)

Abstract

Ectopic pregnancy, that is, a blastocyst occurring outside the endometrial cavity of the uterus, affects nearly 2% of pregnancies. The treatment of ectopic pregnancy is surgical or pharmacological. Since surgical management is associated with numerous serious side effects, conservative treatment is sought. The treatment of choice in the majority of cases is based on pharmacotherapy with methotrexate (MTX) in a single- or multi-dose regimen. Although the efficacy of methotrexate reaches between 70 and 90%, its use requires specific conditions regarding both the general condition of the patient and the characteristic features of the ectopic pregnancy. Moreover, MTX can cause severe adverse effects, including stomatitis, hepatotoxicity and myelosuppression. Therefore, clinicians and researchers are still looking for a less toxic, more effective treatment, which could prevent surgeries as a second-choice treatment. Some studies indicate that other substances might constitute a good alternative to methotrexate in the management of ectopic pregnancies. These substances include aromatase inhibitors, especially letrozole. Another promising substance in EP treatment is gefitinib, an inhibitor of EGFR tyrosine domain which, combined with MTX, seems to constitute a more effective alternative in the management of tubal ectopic pregnancies. Other substances for local administration include KCl and absolute ethanol. KCl injections used in combination with MTX may be used when foetal heart function is detected in cervical ectopic pregnancies, as well as in heterotopic pregnancy treatment. Absolute ethanol injections proved successful and safe in caesarean scar pregnancies management. Thus far, little is known about the use of those substances in the treatment of ectopic pregnancies, but already conducted studies seem to be promising.

Suggested Citation

  • Milena Leziak & Klaudia Żak & Karolina Frankowska & Aleksandra Ziółkiewicz & Weronika Perczyńska & Monika Abramiuk & Rafał Tarkowski & Krzysztof Kułak, 2022. "Future Perspectives of Ectopic Pregnancy Treatment—Review of Possible Pharmacological Methods," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-10, October.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:21:p:14230-:d:958718
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/21/14230/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/21/14230/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:21:p:14230-:d:958718. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.