[Clinical experience with danazol treatment of endometriosis and mastopathy]

26 women presenting with internal and external endometriosis and 27 women with chronic cystic mastopathy and mastodyny received 400 mg danazol-a 17-ethinyltestosterone derivate-daily for 3 to 6 months. Before, during and after completion of treatment clinical and endocrinological investigation as well haematological examinations and determinations of blood and urinary chemistry were carried out. In cases of mastopathy plate thermography and mammography were performed; in endometriosis the diagnosis was verified by laparoscopy or-tomy. An improvement in, or disappearance of dysmenorrhoea and pelvic pain was observed in the endometriosis group. At laparoscopy or -tomy a decrease in, but not a complete disappearance of endometriotic foci was seen. A most favourable effect of danazol was seen in mastodyny. A change in plate thermographic or mammographic findings was observed on only a few patients. A significant fall in 17 beta-oestradiol after one month and a slight decrease in basal LH levels (statistical trend) were observed. FSH and HPRL levels were not significantly affected. Ovulation was mostly suppressed, but serum progesterone values were found several times to be in the range characteristic of severe luteal insufficiency (100 to 1500 pg/ml). Hence, not only amenorrhoea, but also breakthrough bleeding occurred. The observed side affects can be ascribed to anabolic (weight gain), androgenic (acne, hirsutism) and hypoestronic (atrophic vaginitis, hot flushes, restlessness) symptomatology.