Endometrial hyperplasia (EH) is an estrogen-driven proliferative disorder with a measurable risk of progression to endometrial carcinoma. Although many guidelines have been issued over the years, clinical practice remains heterogeneous. In this paper, we aim to compare and summarize key recommendations and disagreements among major international guidelines for managing endometrial hyperplasia, focusing especially on conservative and fertility-sparing strategies. All guidelines align with some key principles: they all adopt the 2020 WHO classification, strongly prefer hysteroscopy-directed sampling, and recommend progestin therapy as the first-line treatment for non-atypical EH, favoring the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (LNG-IUS) over oral regimens. They designate total hysterectomy as definitive management for atypical hyperplasia/intraepithelial endometrial neoplasia (AEH/EIN) due to the substantial prevalence of concurrent carcinoma. Nevertheless, several key discrepancies appear, mainly concerning how long to continue progestin therapy and when to escalate treatment; and how intensively and for how long to conduct post-treatment surveillance. Variations in diagnostic and therapeutic protocols reflect evidence gaps and differences across healthcare settings. Future research should focus on harmonized outcomes, comparative studies of conservative strategies, and the integration of new pathology tools for personalized management.

Management of Patients Diagnosed with Endometrial Hyperplasia: Comparison of Guidelines

Raffone, Antonio;Ronsini, Carlo;
2026

Abstract

Endometrial hyperplasia (EH) is an estrogen-driven proliferative disorder with a measurable risk of progression to endometrial carcinoma. Although many guidelines have been issued over the years, clinical practice remains heterogeneous. In this paper, we aim to compare and summarize key recommendations and disagreements among major international guidelines for managing endometrial hyperplasia, focusing especially on conservative and fertility-sparing strategies. All guidelines align with some key principles: they all adopt the 2020 WHO classification, strongly prefer hysteroscopy-directed sampling, and recommend progestin therapy as the first-line treatment for non-atypical EH, favoring the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (LNG-IUS) over oral regimens. They designate total hysterectomy as definitive management for atypical hyperplasia/intraepithelial endometrial neoplasia (AEH/EIN) due to the substantial prevalence of concurrent carcinoma. Nevertheless, several key discrepancies appear, mainly concerning how long to continue progestin therapy and when to escalate treatment; and how intensively and for how long to conduct post-treatment surveillance. Variations in diagnostic and therapeutic protocols reflect evidence gaps and differences across healthcare settings. Future research should focus on harmonized outcomes, comparative studies of conservative strategies, and the integration of new pathology tools for personalized management.
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11591/604665
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