Özge Özkaya, PhD
Özge has a Phd in Molecular Biology and several years experience working as a bench scientists. She has been working in science communication since 2014.
Salivary miRNAs as Biomarkers for Endometriosis
Small molecules called micro-RNAs (miRNAs) found in saliva could be potential biomarkers, not only to detect endometriosis in a non-invasive manner but also to predict the response of the disease to treatment. This promising idea comes from a new study published in Biomolecules, where researchers suggest that a non-invasive saliva test could reduce diagnostic delays and help personalize treatment for women with endometriosis. To explore this possibility, Dr. Giuseppe Vizzielli and his team from the University of Udine in Italy analyzed salivary miRNAs…
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Discoid or Segmental? GI Symptom Recovery Compared
A new study published in Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica has found that nerve- and vessel-sparing segmental resection for deep colorectal endometriosis leads to better long-term gastrointestinal function compared to full-thickness discoid resection. While both surgeries initially improve symptoms, only the segmental resection appears to maintain that improvement over time. Researchers followed 92 women who underwent either segmental or discoid resection between 2017 and 2022. They evaluated outcomes using both the Gastrointestinal Quality of Life Index (GIQLI) and a questionnaire…
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Heavy Menstrual Bleeding Shares Genetic Risk with Endometriosis and Fibroids
Heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB) is a common yet underexplored condition affecting millions of women worldwide. It can severely impact quality of life and is often associated with other gynecologic disorders like endometriosis and fibroids. In a recent landmark study published in Blood, researchers led by Dr. Andrew D. Johnson at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute conducted the largest genetic study of HMB to date, involving over 84,000 cases and 598,000 controls from five biobanks across multiple ancestries. Through…
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Peritoneal Endometriosis Impairs Ovarian Reserve in a Rat Model
Peritoneal endometriosis significantly decreases the health of the ovaries, found a new study conducted in a rat model. It does so by disrupting the development of ovarian follicles, reducing ovarian reserve, and increasing programmed cell death. In other words, it speeds up the aging of the ovaries, contributing to infertility. “These results underscore the need for further research to identify the molecular pathways involved and to develop targeted therapeutic strategies,” the authors of the study said. To better understand the…
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Targeting Osteopontin to Detect and Treat Endometriosis
The protein osteopontin is significantly elevated in ectopic endometrial stromal cells and in the menstrual blood of individuals with endometriosis, according to a recent study published in Human Reproduction. The findings suggest that osteopontin plays a key role in driving inflammation and lesion development in endometriosis—and may serve as both a therapeutic target and a non-invasive diagnostic marker. To explore this, a research team led by Dr. Ping Duan from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at The Second Affiliated…
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Safety of Resident-Performed Early Stage Endometriosis Surgery Assessed
Gynecology residents and fellows can safely perform minimally invasive surgery for early-stage endometriosis, according to a new study from researchers in Germany. Although operative times are slightly longer when procedures are performed by trainees, patient safety and recovery outcomes remain comparable to those of experienced surgeons. To evaluate the impact of surgical experience on safety and efficiency, Dr. Schmidt and the team led by Dr. Roxana Schwab at the University Medical Centre Mainz analyzed data from 580 patients with stage…
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Dysregulated Metabolomic Signatures of Young Patients With Endometriosis
A new study published in Human Reproduction reveals that adolescents and young adults with endometriosis exhibit significant dysregulation in their plasma metabolomic profiles. In particular, fatty acyls and ceramides were found to be elevated in patients with endometriosis compared to those without the disease. To investigate the metabolomic alterations associated withadolescents and young adult endometriosis, Dr.Lin and Dr.Sasamoto and colleagues from Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and the Boston Center for Endometriosis conducted a cross-sectional study involving 190 adolescents…
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Having Endometriosis Surgery After IVF Better, Study Suggests
A new study published in Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics suggests that performing in vitro fertilization (IVF) before surgery may lead to better IVF outcomes for women with endometrioma. To determine the optimal treatment sequence, Dr. Ivan Sini and colleagues from Morula IVF Jakarta Clinic conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study involving 279 women with endometriosis between January 2018 and December 2022. Among them, 86 women with ovarian endometriomas underwent IVF treatment. The study compared three groups: a)Women who underwent IVF followed…
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Mapping the Cellular Landscape of Endometriosis and Progesterone Resistance
A new study published in he peer-reviewed scientific journal Clinical and Translational Medicine offers a single-cell transcriptomic atlas of peritoneal endometriosis, deep-infiltrating endometriosis (DIE), and ovarian endometriosis, shedding light on the cellular heterogeneity and potential mechanisms driving progesterone resistance across subtypes. Researchers from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Capital Medical University Affiliated Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, led by Dr. Chongdong Liu, analyzed surgical biopsy samples from six patients using single-cell RNA sequencing. This high-resolution approach identified five major cell types and 44 cellular subpopulations across the lesions…
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Ferroptosis: A New Mechanism Potentially Driving Endometriosis Progression
A recent study published in Frontiers in Immunology suggests that ferroptosis, a form of iron-dependent cell death, may play a role in the progression of endometriosis by altering the immune microenvironment. This discovery offers new insights into how the disease develops and points to potential directions for future treatments. To explore the connection between ferroptosis and endometriosis, a research team led by Dr. Bin Li from the Department of Gynecology at Handan Central Hospital in China analyzed gene expression data…
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Conservative Bowel Surgery Should Be Prioritized in Endometriosis When Clinically Feasible
A recent study published in Updates in Surgery shows that conservative bowel surgery is associated with lower rates of post-operative voiding dysfunction in patients with endometriosis. Based on these findings, conservative approaches such as rectal shaving and discoid excision should be considered the preferred surgical option when clinically appropriate. To identify the procedures most associated with this complication, a team led by Dr. Sofiane Bendifallah from the American Hospital of Paris conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of 22 studies…
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Urinary Symptom Relief Following Excision of Suspected Endometriosis
Lower urinary tract symptoms such as frequent urination, urgency, and waking up at night to urinate, are often overlooked or dismissed in patients with endometriosis. A new study published in the Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology highlights that these symptoms may be more common than previously thought — and importantly, that they can improve significantly following minimally invasive surgery to remove suspected endometriosis lesions, even when no visible lesions are found on the bladder. To explore this connection, a research team…
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Tenascin C as a Crucial Player in Peritoneal Endometriosis Pathogenesis
Tenascin C, an extracellular matrix protein, may play a key role in the events leading to the development of peritoneal endometriosis, according to a new study published in the journal Fertility & Sterility Science. To describe elements of the extracellular matrix that may be involved in adhesion and invasion of lesions in the peritoneum in early endometriosis, a team of researchers led by Dr. Fuminori Taniguchi from the Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tottori University Faculty of Medicine in Tottori,…
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Study Sheds Light the Occurrence and Management of Cervical Endometriosis
Most women who had a hysterectomy to treat abnormal uterine bleeding had cervical endometriosis, according to a new study published in the International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics. Cervical endometriosis was the main diagnosis in women who had bleeding following sex or in between periods, the study also found. “Investigations should be considered to rule out [cervical endometriosis] to have the potential for conservative alternative treatment rather than major surgery,” the study authors said. “There is no clear guidance on managing [cervical endometriosis] and…
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Study Opens New Therapeutic Avenue for Ovarian Endometriosis
Ferroptosis is a recently discovered cell death characterized by iron dependence, lipid peroxidation, and membrane damage. Studies show that erastin induces ferroptosis in ectopic endometrial stromal cells, reducing ectopic lesions. Enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2), a component of the polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2), suppresses ferroptosis independent of PRC2, according to a new study published in The International Journal of Biochemistry & Cell Biology. It does so via a methyltransferase mechanism, the study also showed. Based on these findings, the…
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Pain Catastrophizing Associated With Pain Disability in Endometeiosis
Pain catastrophizing and pain disability significantly affect each other in patients with endometriosis, according to a new study published in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Canada. “Future research should examine the temporal relationship between catastrophizing and disability to inform intervention practices,” the auhtors of the study said. “Health care providers are strongly encouraged to evaluate the effects of endometriosis in patients using a biopsychosocial framework”. To shed light on the possible link between components of pain catastrophizing and pain…
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Study Sheds Light on How Parabens and Benzophenones May Be Linked to Endometriosis
Exposure to parabens and benzophenones may be linked to the altered expression profile of genes involved in cellular pathways associated with the development of endometriosis, according to a new study published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences. “Given the novelty of these results, further studies with larger sample sizes are warranted in order to confirm the impact of human exposure to [endocrine-disrupting chemicals] on the pathophysiology of endometriosis,” the authors of the study said. Parabens and benzophenones are chemicals…
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Childhood Adversity Associated With Increased Risk of Endometriosis and Fibroids
Childhood adversity such as physical and sexual abuse, neglect, household dysfunction, peer bullying before 18 years of age may be associated with the development of endometriosis and fibroids later in life, according to a new study published in the scientific journal Fertility and Sterility. “These initial findings warrant further investigation in larger studies using standardized measures,” the authors of the study said. Childhood adversity has been studied in relation to different health outcomes but its possible link with gynecological conditions such as endometriosis are…
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Potential New Biomarker Could Help Assess Endometriosis Severity
High levels of two proteins, 'perforin 1' and 'major histocompatibility complex class I-related chain A (MICA)' are associated with the stage of endometriosis, found a new study published in the scientific journal Immunological Investigations. They could therefore be used as a biomarker to assess the severity of the disease. “Future studies should validate this finding and explore its therapeutic role in endometriosis,” the authors of the study said. In order to test the possible link between molecules that play a…
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DIE Complex and Requires Interdisciplinary Approach
The vast majority of deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) cases are treated with minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery according to a new study published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine. Moreover, there is a high need for interdisciplinary operations. “Our results emphasize the complexity and interdisciplinary nature of the disease,” the authors of the study concluded. “Therefore, treatment should preferably take place at an endometriosis center of the highest level with experienced, well-coordinated teams”. The study, led by Dr. Jürgen Andress from…
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