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.
Targeting Osteopontin to Detect and Treat Endometriosis
From the Editor-in-Chief – EndoNews "Targeting osteopontin may represent a significant step toward non-hormonal, mechanism-based therapies in endometriosis—offering hope for improved diagnosis and symptom control across diverse disease stages and symptom profiles, without compromising reproductive or emotional health." Lay summary 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…
Key Points Lay Summary
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…
Key Points Lay Summary
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…
Key Points Lay Summary
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…
Key Points Lay Summary
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…
Key Points Lay Summary
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…
Key Points Lay Summary
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…
Key Points Lay Summary
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…
Key Points Lay Summary
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,…
Key Points Lay Summary
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…
Key Points Lay Summary
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…
Key Points Lay Summary
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…
Key Points Lay Summary
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…
Key Points Lay Summary
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…
Key Points Lay Summary
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…
Key Points Lay Summary
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…
Key Points Lay Summary
More Young Patients Regret Having a Hysterectomy Than Older Ones
A study published inObstetrics & Gynecology found that patients aged 30 or younger were more likely to regret their decision to undergo a hysterectomy compared to those aged 31 to 49, regardless of factors such as parity, prior sterilization, or previous treatments To assess long-term regret following hysterectomy, researchers led by Dr. Christine E. Foley conducted a matched retrospective cohort study. The study compared patients aged 30 and younger with those aged 31 to 49 who underwent laparoscopic hysterectomy for benign…
Key Points Lay Summary
Systematic Approach Could Help Better Diagnose Endometriosis
A group of gynecologists and gynecological oncologists with extensive experience in ultrasound presented a systematic methodology to evaluate the structures within the pelvic sidewall and define useful sonographic landmarks. This approach can improve the diagnosis of gynecological pathologies such as deep endometriosis or malignant tumors ensuring patients receive the appropriate intervention for their condition. The team of experts led by Gyongyi Szabo, MD, PhD from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine at Semmelweis University in Budapest, Hungary…
Key Points Lay Summary
Laparoscopic Excision vs. Ablation in Endometriosis: A Comparison of Symptom and Quality of Life Outcomes
Laparoscopic excision surgery showed greater benefits over many symptoms and quality of life measures in patients with endometriosis who previously underwent ablation surgery. This is according to a new study published in the Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology. This finding is important because it is important and help guide decision-making in terms of endometriosis treatment. In order to compare the effect of laparoscopic ablation and excision on symptom relief and quality of life outcomes in patients with endometriosis, a team of…
Key Points Lay Summary
A Link Between Endometriosis and Sleep Disturbances
There seems to be a link between sleep disturbances and endometriosis, according to a systematic review of the literature. This information can help shape future clinical recommendations to screen for and treat sleep disturbances in patients with endometriosis and improve their quality of life. To shed light on the possible association between endometriosis and sleep disturbances, a team of researchers led by Dr. Sarah J Holdsworth-Carson from the Julia Argyrou Endometriosis Centre at Epworth HealthCare in Richmond and the Department…
Key Points Lay Summary