Other conditions with symptoms similar to uterine fibroids

Many health problems can cause symptoms that are the same as or similar to those of uterine fibroids. Health problems with similar symptoms need to be ruled out before fibroids are diagnosed.

Conditions that can cause changes in menstrual periods include:¹

• An abnormal growth outside of the uterus (adnexal mass).
• Adenomyosis, the growth of the uterine lining into the uterine muscle, which can cause pain and bleeding.
• An abnormally shaped uterus (uterine anomaly).
• Endometrial hyperplasia, precancerous cell changes in the uterine lining.
• Endometrial polyps.
• Endometrial cancer.
• Endometriosis.
• Fluctuating hormone levels.
• Ovarian cysts.

Conditions that can cause female pelvic pain include:¹

• Endometriosis and adenomyosis.
• Ovarian cysts.
• A mass outside of the uterus (adnexal mass).
• Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).
• Scar tissue in the pelvis (adhesions).
• Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).
• A tubal-ovarian abscess.
• Physical or sexual abuse.
• Urinary tract problems.
• Bowel problems.

Cancers of the female reproductive organs that can cause pain or bleeding include:¹

• Cancer of the lining of the uterus (endometrial cancer).
• Cancer of an ovary (ovarian cancer).
• Cancer of the cervix or opening of the uterus (cervical cancer).
• Cancer of the muscle wall of the uterus (leiomyosarcoma).

These forms of cancer may cause symptoms similar to those caused by noncancerous conditions, such as uterine fibroids or endometriosis.

Citations

1. Drinville JS, Memarzadeh S (2007). Benign disorders of the uterine corpus. In AH DeCherney et al., eds., Current Obstetric and Gynecologic Diagnosis and Treatment, 10th ed., pp. 639–653. New York: McGraw-Hill Medical Publishing Division.