HQ Team
June 2, 2023: Researchers at the Royal Hospital for Women in Sydney, Australia, have made a breakthrough in the treatment of endometriosis, a painful and debilitating condition suffered by many women.
Researchers at the hospital grew tissue from every known kind of endometriosis and tracked the responses to various therapies.
The researchers say that now they will be able to experiment with various endometriosis therapies to ascertain whether a woman will require reproductive treatments. They hope that it may lead them to a less invasive, and quicker treatment for all patients.
According to professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at the Royal Hospital for Women, Jason Abbott, the breakthrough is similar to those made in breast cancer treatment 30 years ago. He said, “We now know there are many different types of breast cancer and treat them accordingly.
“This is a similar breakthrough and will allow more targeted and therefore more effective treatment, depending on the type of endometriosis a patient has.”
Endometriosis
Endometriosis is a long-term condition where tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows in other places, such as the ovaries and fallopian tubes. Every month, during a period, these cells will start to bleed. Your body will start to secrete some inflammatory markers, like fibrous healing tissues, which will lead to scar tissue in the pelvis and the tummy. The pain can be excruciating and affect your mental health, ability to work, relationships, and fertility.
Currently, endometriosis is estimated to affect one in 10 women during their reproductive years worldwide. It generally runs in the family. The only way to officially diagnose it is by performing a laparoscopy Shockingly, the average diagnosis time is currently more than seven years.
Guidelines
Last month, scientists from UCL outlined a new set of guidelines to improve the diagnosis of endometriosis.
UCL Professor Ertan Saridogan said: “Having new clinical guidelines means better support and treatment for the millions of women who suffer from endometriosis and do not get the attention they deserve.
“This new work expands on important issues, such as the clinical evidence on endometriosis in adolescents and postmenopausal women. It also outlines the diagnostic process, challenges the current laparoscopy and histology used as the overall gold standard diagnostic tests, and it evaluates surgical, medical, and non-pharmacological treatments.”
Dr Elgheriany adds: “Until a few years ago, it was believed that laparoscopic surgery (an operation in which a camera is inserted into the pelvis via a small cut near the navel) was the only way to diagnose, but recently it has been argued that a pelvic ultrasound and MRI imaging are the gold standard for diagnosis.”
Treatment
Treatment is available and it reduces the severity of symptoms. It is dependent on age and symptom severity and can involve painkillers, hormone medication, and contraceptives, as well as surgery. Patches of endometriosis tissue are surgically removed to improve symptoms and fertility.
