Greek Mythology „Pandora’s box“
Thinking about Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) a story of the Greek mythology „Pandora’s box“ comes in my mind.
Pandora’s Box was a gift by the Greek Gods to Pandora when she got married. It was strictly forbidden to open it. Knowledge driven Pandora ignored this warning, opened the box and the disaster mentioned as work, diseases and death conquered the world.
PCOS is like Pandora’s box.
The first menstruation will open the box spreading androgens, anovulation, infertility, high lipid levels, insulin resistance, hirsutism, acne, fatty skin and obesity, listlessness, depression, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer.
Researchers, clinicians, physicians, therapeuts and other medical/psychological staff
Their responsibility is it to find the initial mechanism to stop it, to manage it as early as possible or to cure it and close this box with its disastrous content.
Spark of hope to all our PCOS Patients
A few words on the theme of the 4th world conference on PCOS: Diagnosis & Intervention of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, London June, 7th-8th. Specialists, researchers, clinicians, practitioners and medical staff as well as all other interested and involved in diagnostics, therapy and treatment will be in London to proceed on awareness, acknowledgement and the scientific sparks of hope which could enlighten our PCOS-Patients.
There seems to be a palpable energy around the world today as researchers see the opportunities to transform and improve
- PCOS diagnostic
- Lifestyle interventions
- Medical therapy
- Interdisciplinary collaboration and data exchange management
- Looking for prevention to strengthen a future with much more awareness and understanding for the patient’s situation and needs.
Driving early and accurate diagnosis is one of the key challenges of PCOS.
The strong collaboration between all stakeholders (Clinicians, Patients, Family and Diagnostics as well as Pharma Industry) puts us in a unique position to solve these challenges and to transform PCOS for better quality in life of the affected patients – this in spite of knowing that there is no curing at the moment.
Doing Research is Key!
Stein and Leventhal were the first who described a complex of symptoms, composed of Amenorrhea until Oligomenorrhea, Obesity and Hyperandrogenism. PCOS is the expression of a multifactorial disorder of the ovaries. Since the first steps had been done by Stein and Leventhal (Chronic Hyperandrogenemic Anovulation (CHA) or Polycystic Ovarian Disease (PCOD) approx. 90 years ago!!! There is still a lot to learn about PCOS and its Pathogenesis! Focussed on overweight and obesity. In the meantime, it could be found out, that there are several phenotypes including lean women with PCOS and without IR or Diabetes. In spite of the now known variability women with PCOS have two options to be treated. One group are the young girls in reproductive age without wish to conceive and the second group are the adolescents with wish to conceive. The first group of girls were suffering approx. 8 years (start puberty with 12/14 and thinking about the wish to conceive by age up to 20/22. Not really to conceive but thinking about it – to realize this wish in probably the next 10 years.
The total lapse/derailment of the metabolism comes along with acne, hirsutism, depressions, withdrawal of social live, social exclusion etc. And because those women don’t know what is happening in their organism, they can not fight against the changes in their body.
“Do more sport, eat less”
“Do more sport, eat less”, that’s normal within puberty, look at your grandma or mum… its genetic and so on…all this does not help the affected young ladies at the beginning of their reproductive lives as women. And remember PCOS is not that as Diabetes in higher age – it occurs in time of first love and sexuality. Research often took experience from metabolic syndrome symptoms and compared it with PCOS – e.g. diabetes, cardiovascular diseases or genetically issues or the impact of varieties of nutrients, minerals, and vitamins in diets as well as the role of carbohydrates, fruit, vegetables and in total the calorie intake management.
How we tackle the challenges all around the world?
Five paired key factors need to be in place for a successful access to effective, quality healthcare:
- Awareness/Acceptance
- Diagnosis/Diagnostic
- Education/Understanding
- Healthcare capacity/healthcare insurance
- Research/Funding
Highlights of the Scientific Exhibition/Program
Lets share highlights of this outstanding Scientific Exhibition/Program which anticipates the world’s leading specialists involved in PCOS and
- Menopause issues
- Pregnancy/Infertility
- Nutrition
- Exercise
- Lifestyle
- Risk factors
- Ultrasound
- Topical Medication
- Surgical intervention (e.g. bariatric, laparoscopic)
- The role of Hormones
- Psychological issues
- Hirsutism
- PCOS-Management
- Dermatological Problems and
- Co-Morbidities
„Pandoras medical PCOS box“
Our all responsibility is it to find the initial mechanism to stop it, to manage it as early as possible or to cure it and close „Panodras medical PCOS box“ with its disastrous content.
I think , we are moving in the right direction and I look forward to see where it will take us in the next years.