or simply seek a hysterectomy alone, such as those with massive uterine size or very large pedunculated fibroids,” he said. “But regardless, we need to let women know they have options.”
Looking for research The other part of the puzzle is fibroids themselves.
While the research supporting UAE is clear, research into the actual pathology of fibroids is lacking, Dr. Lipman says.
“We don’t know where they come from,” he said. “It affects so many women—up to 80% of African-American women— and yet there’s very little funding for research into why.”
According to Dr. Lipman, although fibroids cost society an estimated $35 billion per year, only $18 million is spent each year on fibroid research. “That’s only $0.70 per person for fibroid research,” he said.
Solving the puzzle Dr. Lipman is passionate about educating on fibroids—but he was eager to do something more. Something bigger.
“I put my money where my mouth is,” he said.
In 2023, Dr. Lipman gifted SIR Foundation a substantial sum to fund fibroid research and awareness. This gift will fund two new initiatives through SIR Foundation: a grant in honor of Scott C. Goodwin, MD, FSIR, and a fibroid and adenomyosis research summit in honor of James B. Spies, MD, FSIR.
Dr. Lipman was insistent that these initiatives should carry the names of two IRs who have made tremendous impact in the space.
“Scott and Jim have been leaders in this effort,” he said. “Scott published a seminal paper in the Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology and worked with the first set of patients to undergo UFE [in the US]. He and Jim were both the driving force of the fibroid registry as well, which created the largest amount of fibroid data ever collected. And Jim established a quality-of- life questionnaire that’s specifically validated for fibroid symptoms. Jim’s work was funded by a grant from the
SIR Foundation, and this is exactly the kind of results I hope will come from these two new initiatives.”
Not only are Dr. Spies and Dr. Goodman luminaries in the field, but they’ve also been friends and mentors, Dr. Lipman said.
“I was able to participate in the fibroid registry, despite being in private practice, through their kindness, and it really helped me develop my passion in this area,” he said. “I wanted to thank them for the opportunity and the gift of their friendship, while recognizing their work.”
The research summit will gather leading experts to identify areas where research is most needed, as well as explore and discuss larger issues surrounding fibroids like loss of fertility or health equity.
“We can all learn from each other, and people around the globe are doing different things,” he said. “People don’t even do UAE exactly the same, and we really need to validate best practices.”
The grant will support investigators as they pursue fibroid and adenomyosis research. This research will not only validate IR therapies but serve as further educational opportunities for patients and physicians alike.
“Pretty much everything we do is so unrecognized by the public, and that leads to patients missing out,” Dr. Lipman said. “We need to do a better job explaining what we do and who we are, because that will help us break through the gatekeepers and become an option that patients and referrers think about.”
Continuing fibroid awareness will be key, especially when partnering with gynecologists, who are the first stop for patients with fibroid symptoms. Dr. Lipman is grateful for the awareness that his fibroid practice has in Atlanta and has built good relationships with his local gynecologists—but that’s not the case everywhere.
“That’s why we need a national effort to educate on IR in general, but also focus on how life-changing procedures like UAE can be,” he said. “This is one of the biggest medical breakthroughs for
“We can all learn from each other, and people around the globe are doing different things. People don’t even do UFE exactly the same, and we really need to validate best practices.”
women, particularly Black women—and they don’t even get to know they have a choice.”
The future of fibroids Dr. Lipman hopes his donation will make an impact and spur on even more research funding.
“You might be in a private practice setting and wonder why you should care about research. But research is what validates what you’re doing. It’s what creates the therapies you offer your patients,” he said. “We’ve got to validate what we do, and we need everyone’s support. You don’t have to do the research yourself, but you can at least support it.”
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