Controlled use of bipolar cauterization as an alternative to endometrioma cystectomy
The main symptoms of endometriosis are dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, chronic pelvic pain, and infertility. Ablation or coagulation of the cyst wall following laparoscopic drainage of endometrioma may be an alternative treatment for patients with pregnancy intention. Carbon dioxide, laser, and plasma energy…
Key Points Lay SummaryCurrent research on adenomyosis tissues with immunohistochemistry reveal novel findings
Dr. Xiaofang Xu and associates from Fudan University, China have recently published their research on adenomyosis-related research results in "Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology". Adenomyosis is a benign gynecological condition, prevalent worldwide that is characterized by the presence of ectopic endometrial tissues in…
Key Points Lay SummaryPerineal Endometriosis, How Soon Does it Return After Surgery?
The higher the body mass index (BMI) of a woman during delivery and within one month after delivery, the quicker the symptoms of perineal endometriosis return. This is according to a recent study that appeared in the World Journal of…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe influence of endometrioma and surgery on ovarian reserve
Women with endometriosis and endometrioma, often have subfertility. These patients present considerable problems for the evaluation of ovarian reserve. One of the well-known ovarian reserve biomarkers is anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels. So far, it was known that the reduction of…
Key Points Lay SummarySelected Blood Inflammatory Biomarkers May Help Identify Endometriosis
Levels of inflammatory biomarkers in the blood differ between women with endometriosis and those without the disease. Levels of some biomarkers also differ according to the stage of endometriosis. This is according to a new study by Polish scientists published…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis and possible cardiovascular outcomes
A retrospective population-based cohort study from the Institute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, the UK, investigated the long-term cardiovascular outcomes of women with endometriosis. The study included 279,759 women in total, 20,1% (>56.000) were patients with surgically…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe effects of endometriosis on life satisfaction.
Endometriosis is well-known for its debilitating effects on women suffering from it. In the review conducted by Masoumeh Namazi et al, the authors have collected studies searching for the wellbeing of women with endometriosis. They have analyzed 46 studies that…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometrial receptivity after the removal of ovarian endometriotic cysts
Mikhaleva and associates from the "Russian Research Institute of Human Morphology" published their results in “Reproductive Sciences” yielding their novel morphological findings of eutopic endometria in patients following surgical excision of endometriotic ovarian cysts. Current therapeutic measures are targeting to…
Key Points Lay SummaryEnvironmental to occupational exposure, and possible risk factors for endometriosis.
Many objects in daily use are made of plasticizing agents. Studies suggest that chronic exposure to these agents are toxic to reproductive organs and cause metabolic disorders. For example, diethyl phthalate is still in use in cosmetic products. Caporossi et…
Key Points Lay SummaryImpaired fertility potential in endometriosis patients
Infertility is frequently encountered in endometriosis patients because of anatomic distortion, alterations in endometrial receptivity, diminished tubal peristalsis and sperm movements. Garcia-Fernandez and García-Velasco, from Edinburgh, UK and Madrid, Spain, published a mini-review titled “Endometriosis and Reproduction: What We Have…
Key Points Lay SummaryOxygen deprivation (hypoxia) has a critical role in the pathogenesis and progression of endometriosis
Dr. Wan-Ning Li and associates from academic institutions from Taiwan have published their review paper on the role of hypoxia and possible therapeutic outcomes in the medical journal named "Reproduction" recently. Endometriosis is an important ailment with huge medical and social…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis and the risk of Systemic lupus Erythematosus: A report from Taiwan
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks its own tissues, causing widespread inflammation and tissue damage that affects mostly women, with an M:F ratio of 1:9. Recent evidence has also shown that endometriosis is…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe incidence of endometriosis and pelvic pain in transgender man
Transgender operations are quite common all around the world and hysterectomies are performed almost 1 in 5 of this population. The studies conducted until now mostly evaluated operative and postoperative outcomes, but the present research also questioned the preoperative symptoms and…
Key Points Lay SummaryDo Adolescents Know About Endometriosis?
Most secondary school girls have painful periods and many of them don’t know what typical periods are like, according to a study published in the "Journal of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology". The majority of the girls do not have knowledge…
Key Points Lay Summary"Complement" of immune system and endometriosis therapeutics
The complement system is part of the body’s immune system, and plays integral roles in the recognition and clearance of pathogens, apoptotic and necrotic cells. It is composed of over 50 proteins with soluble activation precursor components, regulators and cell…
Key Points Lay SummaryNanomedicines for Endometriosis
Scientific research on nanoparticles is intense as they have many potential applications in medicine. Nanomaterials have been widely explored for imaging and treatment of various diseases, especially cancer, over the recent twenty years. The absence of non-invasive diagnostic tests and…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe improvement of fertility rate and symptoms of superficial endometriosis following laparoscopic peritoneal stripping
Pain, in the form of diverse entities, including dyspareunia, dysuria, dyschezia, is the main symptom of endometriosis patients. The severity of pain is independent of the extent and the location of the disease, and generally causes a negative impact on…
Key Points Lay SummaryCancer risk Evaluation in Korean Endometriosis Cohort
The relationship between endometriosis and cancer has always been challenging. The previous studies revealed an increased risk in endometriosis-associated ovarian cancers regarding the alterations in cancerogenic genes or by the effect of iron and hem coming with retrograde menstruation and…
Key Points Lay SummaryAntioxidant therapy for the endometriosis pain
Ts the protective defense mechanism of cells, hence the destruction of balance between oxidants and antioxidants in our body is called "redox imbalance". The major oxidants are reactive oxygen species (ROS) that are involved in multiple cellular processes by physiologically…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe role of hormonal treatment after endometriosis surgery
Postoperative hormonal suppression after endometriosis surgery still does not have a uniform approach. The meta-analysis study conducted by Zakhari et al. aimed to find a significant answer regarding this burden. They analyzed the database systems including MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane CENTRAL,…
Key Points Lay Summary"Speckle sign": a novel transvaginal ultrasound finding for posterior compartment endometriosis
Dr. Balcacer and associates from three medical institutions located in the USA report the results of their retrospective study on deep infiltrating endometriosis utilizing transvaginal ultrasound examination and the proposed “speckle sign” in the "Journal of Ultrasound Medicine". Pelvic ultrasound…
Key Points Lay SummaryOxidative stress, reactive products, detoxification, endometriosis and pain
Oxidative stress is one factor known to be involved in the pathogenesis, progression, and establishment of endometriosis in women. During oxidative stress, excess reactive oxygen species as a secondary by-product of lipid peroxidation and reactive aldehyde including 4- hydroxynonenal…
Key Points Lay SummaryLive Birth Rate in Women Who Underwent Fresh Embryo Transfer Using Freshly Retrieved Donor Oocytes
One of the important clinical findings in women with endometriosis is reproductive problems. Infertility can be encountered in up to 50% of women with endometriosis and up to 50% of women with infertility can be diagnosed with endometriosis. Several pathophysiologic…
Key Points Lay SummaryTime for noninvasive serum markers for endometriosis diagnosis
Dr. Onur Guralp and associates from Germany and Turkey published their results on serum markers predicting endometriosis in the "Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology". Still, in 21st-century medicine, doctors can not diagnose endometriosis using biochemical serum markers. Proposed serum markers…
Key Points Lay SummaryPostoperative pregnancy rate in infertile women with deep infiltrating endometriosis
Deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) is fibrous/muscular infiltration of organs and anatomical structures containing endometrial tissue below the peritoneum regardless of the depth of infiltration. Another definition describes DIE as infiltration of the peritoneum by endometriotic lesions deeper than 5 mm. Pain,…
Key Points Lay SummaryKEYNOTE: Excision Without Mutilation: It’s Possible! - Arnaud Wattiez, MD
In his keynote lecture, Dr. Wattiez talks about the pros and cons of endometriosis surgery and the importance of tailoring endometriosis surgery to individual patients. “Endometriosis is a disease that degrades patient’s wellbeing," Dr. Wattiez says and gives some examples…
Key Points Lay SummaryExploring the Role of Neuropathy in Re-Operative Endometriosis - Marc Possover, MD, PhD
Prof. Possover starts his presentation by summarizing the possible cause of pelvic neuropathy following endometriosis surgery. Pelvic neuropathy is the damage or dysfunction of the pelvic nerve. Prof. Possover explained that this could either be due to incomplete surgery, disease…
Key Points Lay SummaryOperative techniques for Deep Endometriosis Surgery - Shaheen Khazali, MD
In this presentation, Dr. Shaheen Khazali, an endometriosis surgeon specialized in gastrointestinal and urinary tract endometriosis excision and in neuropelveology, talks about the general principles and some techniques for endometriosis surgery focusing on rectovaginal endometriosis. He also describes the "ten…
Key Points Lay SummaryLaparoscopic Approach to Rectus Muscle Endometriosis and Inguinal Endometriosis - Ted Lee, MD
Rectus muscle endometriosis and inguinal endometriosis are two rare types of endometriosis. Operation room videos of several patients with different rectus muscle endometriosis and inguinal endometriosis are shared during the presentation of Dr. Lee to clarify the methods of the…
Key Points Lay SummaryEgg Freezing for Endometriosis: Should she rush - Tomer Singer, MD
In this presentation, Dr. Tomer Singer, a fertility specialist and the medical director at Shady Grove Fertility in Manhattan, New York talks about egg freezing and its importance for women with endometriosis. He emphasizes the importance of having an endometriosis…
Key Points Lay SummaryExploring Pelvic Pain: Deep to Ischial Spine Including Pre-Sacral Roots - A. Taner Usta, MD
Chronic pelvic pain is defined as pain in the pelvic area that lasts for 6 months or longer and results in functional or psychological disability or requires intervention and treatment by the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists. There are…
Key Points Lay SummaryWhy Persistent or Recurrent Endometriosis Happens? - Dan Martin, MD
The objectives of Dr. Martin in this presentation are to understand the difficulties in recognition of deep and hidden endometriosis, difficulties in recognition of small lesions of micron size, and differentiate the look-alike lesions of endometriosis. He addressed overcoming these…
Key Points Lay SummaryRole of Prophylactic Oophorectomy in Endometriosis Patients with Ovarian Cancer History in the family - Farr Nezhat, MD
Dr. Nezhat starts his presentation by outlining his objectives, which are to review the basics of cancer genetics, give an overview about endometriosis and ovarian cancer, discuss the pathogenesis of malignant transformation of endometriosis, and talk about the clinical implications…
Key Points Lay SummaryFurther Evidence that endometriosis is related to tubal or ovarian cancer - Togas Tulandi, MD
Most authors suggest an association of endometriosis mainly with clear cell, low-grade serous, and endometrioid ovarian cancer. But in two large cohort studies, no correlation between them is reported (Olson et al. 2002 and Tseng et al. 2019) Dr. Tulandi…
Key Points Lay SummaryInsoluble Dilemma of Adenomyosis: Diagnosis, Management, and Treatment - Errico Zupi, MD
The prevalence of adenomyosis has been reported to range from 1% to 70% in different studies. This large range can be explained by the lack of standard diagnostic criteria by imaging modalities or pathological analyses. Sixty-five% of the women with adenomyosis…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis: Less is better. How to improve the integration between surgical and medical therapy - Errico Zupi, MD
In this presentation, Dr. Errico Zupi, Associate Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Rome talks about the importance of an integrative approach comprising of both medical and surgical interventions to treat endometriosis. "The first…
Key Points Lay SummaryGenetic and Pathologic aspects of Maligant Transformation of Endometriosis: Endometriosis-Related Ovarian Cancers-ERON's - Ayse Ayhan, MD
In the 2020 Endofound Medical Conference, Dr. Ayse Ayhan presented about endometriosis (endometrioma)-related ovarian cancer (ERON). Based on the current understanding of the epidemiology, histology, and molecular alterations, it seems clear that endometriosis is highly related to ERONs. Endometriosis is…
Key Points Lay SummaryUrological Challenges in Endometriosis Surgery - Guenter Noe, MD
In this presentation, Dr. Guenter Noé, Head of Department of Rheilandklinikum Dormagen in Germany talks about endometriosis affecting the urinary tract. Dr. Noé starts by describing the different parts of the urinary tract that can be affected by endometriosis including…
Key Points Lay SummaryImplantation failure in endometriosis patients - Jovana Lekovich, MD., PhD.
Endometriosis is one of the leading reasons for infertility due to decreased oocyte/embryo quality, fertilization ability, tubal function, and aberrant endometrial receptivity. Whether this failure is caused by oocyte/embryo or eutopic endometrium is one of the investigated topics in endometriosis…
Key Points Lay SummaryFixing holes: prevention and treatment of complications - Jon Einarsson, MD, MPH
Dr. Einarsson shared his operating room video screens during his speech for discussing four major complications (ureter, bladder, bowel, and vascular) of endometriosis surgery and the ways to repair them. Fixing the ureter damage: Endometriotic nodules may settle on the tract…
Key Points Lay SummaryLimits of endometrioma surgery in infertility patients - Liselotte Mettler, MD, PhD
The removal of endometrioma may affect ovarian reserve because healthy follicles near endometrioma could also be excised during this procedure. Another concern about the ovarian reserve is that it may be already low before the surgery. Anti Mullerian Hormone (AMH)…
Key Points Lay SummaryIn vitro fertilization protocols in endometriosis patients - Pinar Kodaman, MD., PhD.
Infertility is frequently encountered in endometriosis patients because of anatomic distortion, alterations in endometrial receptivity, diminished tubal peristalsis, and sperm movements. Even though the disease stage and presence of endometrioma is negatively correlated with infertility, it is unpredictable which women…
Key Points Lay SummaryCould Cosmetics and Personal Care Products Increase the Risk of Endometriosis?
The use of cosmetics and personal care products may be increasing the risk of endometriosis according to a study by Spanish researchers that was published in the journal "Environmental Research". This finding suggests that restricting the use of these products may…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis and the sexual relations of the couples
From the viewpoint of endometriotic women, the pain during the penetration is not the only complaint. They also have growing depression and anxiety leading to difficulties with their social and sexual relationship, work, and study. The emotional impact of sub-infertility,…
Key Points Lay SummaryA Possible genetic target for endometriosis treatment
Mutations in the chromosome remodeling complex SWI/SNF subunit ARID1A were first identified in ovarian clear-cell carcinoma and ovarian endometrioid carcinoma, two endometriosis-associated epithelial ovarian cancer subtypes. ARID1A gene mutations are also observed in deep ovarian and deep infiltrating endometriosis, atypical endometrial…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe recurrence risk of endometrioma in older age
Ovarian endometrioma is more common in reproductive ages and the recurrence rate is around 20 percent in the first 2 years after the initial surgery. The use of postoperative hormonal therapy is a mutual option to decrease recurrences. The rate…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis involving the Sacral Plexus and Sciatic Nerve
Endometriosis rarely involves the sacral and sciatic nerves. A retrospective analysis led by Rouen University Hospital, France and Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark, published in the Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology, has evaluated preoperative complaints, intraoperative findings, surgical procedures, and postoperative…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis and Inflammation: How to Treat it?
Women with endometriosis have systemic and localized inflammation within eutopic and ectopic endometrial tissues found in a study published in the "American Journal of Reproductive Immunology". More importantly, the study also found that the inflammation caused by the disease could…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometrioma size and anti-Müllerian hormone levels
Endometriotic lesions are encountered in different locations in the pelvic cavity, including but not limited to the ovaries, the pouch of Douglas, the ureters, the bladder, and the bowel. Cystic endometriosis lesions located in the ovary are called "endometrioma". Endometriomas have…
Key Points Lay SummaryDoes hysterectomy bring a total relief in patients with endometriosis?
There is a common belief that hysterectomy is the last option to relieve the pain in patients with endometriosis by stopping the production of menstrual material. The study entitled "Impact of hysterectomy on analgesic, psychoactive and neuroactive drug use in…
Key Points Lay SummaryPain in Endometriosis
Endometriosis is a chronic and debilitating condition characterized by chronic pelvic pain (CPP) and infertility. It affects approximately 10% of women globally and more than 60% of women diagnosed with endometriosis report CPP. However, the mechanisms underlying the associated pain…
Key Points Lay SummaryNew Signaling Pathway Could Be Crucial in the Development of Endometriosis
RAMP1 signaling is crucial for growth and blood and lymphatic vessel formation in endometrial tissue, according to a new study published in the Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine. This suggests that blocking RAMP1 could be a new way to…
Key Points Lay SummaryReduced risk of "small for gestational age baby" following frozen embryo transfer in endometriosis patients
Infertility is encountered frequently in patients with endometriosis. These women could be managed using assisted reproductive technology (ART) including in-vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) to achieve pregnancy. However, some adverse obstetric and perinatal outcomes are experienced more…
Key Points Lay SummaryA pilot study for Endometriosis Potential biomarkers
Endometriosis is one of the most common female health disorders typically causing dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, and pelvic pain, and may contribute to infertility. It is necessary to identify potential molecular biomarkers for diagnosis and regulatory factors behind the disease. The study…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis and adenomyosis could be the “sides of the same coin”.
The two common gynecological disorders, namely adenomyosis, and endometriosis are not settled yet, whether they are representing two different entities or different phenotypes of the same ailment. Dr. Maruyama and colleagues from Nara, Japan searched PubMed and Google Scholar electronic…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis and Natural Killer Cell Immunity
It is known that approximately 25 to 50% of infertile women have endometriosis, and 30% to 50% of the women with endometriosis have infertility and recurrent pregnancy loss. Previous studies have shown that women suffering endometriosis have abnormal NK cell…
Key Points Lay SummaryMagnetic resonance imaging classification for the management of deep pelvic endometriosis
A new study published in the journal "Human Reproduction" reported that operating time, hospital stay, and postoperative complications in patients who underwent surgery for deep endometriosis can be predicted by the MRI. This result may be useful for clinicians to…
Key Points Lay SummaryCombination of noninvasive biomarkers in the identification of endometriosis
The combined measurement of urine enolase, serum CA125, and CA19-9 may be an accurate test for the prediction and detection of endometriosis. This is according to a study published in the journal BioMedical Research International. The gold standard for the…
Key Points Lay SummaryPatients' opinion about surgical treatment of endometriosis
Delayed diagnosis and management of endometriosis and chronic pelvic pain is a major problem in gynecologic practice. Alternatively, providers may feel reluctant to perform surgery although they are aware of treatment options and surgical timing. One possible reason for this…
Key Points Lay SummaryA new Marker to Detect Endometriosis and Its Severity?
Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) could be a novel marker that could help diagnose endometriosis as well as to detect its severity. This is according to a new study by researchers in Egypt, published in the scientific journal "BMC Women’s Health".…
Key Points Lay SummaryCan a grape ingredient, resveratrol, be the promised warrior to defeat endometriosis?
Endometriosis is a chronic estrogen-dependent disorder and has a known relationship with angiogenesis, inflammation, and oxidative stress. Resveratrol is a part of a "polyphenol" compound which are thought to act like antioxidants, protects the body against damage. This compound is normally…
Key Points Lay SummaryCA125 do not correlate with pain and its severity among adolescents
Cancer antigen 125 (CA125) is a high molecular weight glycoprotein expressed in tissue derived from the coelomic and Mullerian epithelia including the uterus endometrium. Previous studies reported that CA125 is the most studied endometriosis marker. Women with endometriosis experienced different…
Key Points Lay SummaryBad bad lipid go away!
Much like the progression of endometriosis, accumulating evidence suggests that systemic chronic inflammation and oxidative stress can contribute to atherosclerosis. The excess low-density lipoprotein increases inflammatory processes in the arteries, which may result in atherosclerosis. Previous studies have shown that…
Key Points Lay SummaryIndocyanine green in endometriosis surgery
Recently, indocyanine green is well studied and used safely in real-time perfusion to organs or tissues, after taking into consideration its binding capacity to the plasma proteins. The usefulness and the effectiveness of near-infrared camera guided indocyanine green is proved with…
Key Points Lay SummaryIt is time for non-invasive tests for peritoneal endometriosis diagnosis
Maria Szubert with colleagues from Lodz Medical University, Poland, investigated the possibility of potential diagnostic biomarkers in the eutopic endometrial tissue from peritoneal endometriosis patients and published their results in the "Journal of Gynecology Obstetrics and Human Reproduction". Currently, diagnostic…
Key Points Lay SummaryFallopian tube endometriosis
Endometriosis affects various tissues including pelvic and extra-pelvic organs. Fallopian tube endometriosis is not a widely studied topic in endometriosis, hence the real incidence is unknown as not all studies evaluate microscopically diagnosed Fallopian tube endometriosis. In the retrospective database…
Key Points Lay SummaryNon-coding RNAs and Endometriosis
Non-coding RNAs may have a fundamental role in the development of endometriosis. Non-coding transcripts have regulatory roles in the expression of protein-coding genes, thus regulate several signaling pathways. Based on their length, these non-coding RNAs are classified into two main classes:…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe peculiarity of adolescent endometriosis
Recent studies showed the prevalence of endometriosis in adolescents with chronic cyclic or acyclic pelvic pain is about 60-70%. Moreover, all stages of endometriosis, including deeply infiltrating endometriosis can be found in this population. Gubbels et al. from the Department…
Key Points Lay SummaryStem cell and exosome therapy
These days, two experimental methods, stem cell, and exosome therapy are getting more attention. Stem cell therapy has shown promising effects in regenerative medicine, including myocardial infarction, nervous system impairment, retinal damage, and liver diseases. Recent studies showed that stem…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe intensity of pelvic pain is higher in endometriosis patients
Silva J.B. et al., researchers from Brazil, conducted a case-control study to determine the intensity of clinical pain, the average body composition, and the anthropometric markers including the body mass index, the perimeters (waist, abdomen, hip), and the percentage of…
Key Points Lay SummarySexual Quality of Life in Women With Endometriosis
Painful intercourse, more severe period pain, worse health-related quality of life, and unemployment are all associated with worse sexual quality of life in women with endometriosis. This is according to a Dutch study published in the scientific journal Sexual Medicine.…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe more than expected prevalence of endometriosis in patients with Mullerian abnormalities
Congenital müllerian anomalies resulting in a spectrum of uterine abnormalities are caused by the abnormal embryologic fusion of the müllerian ducts to form a normal uterine cavity. They are often unrecognized because they are usually asymptomatic. The presence of a uterine…
Key Points Lay SummaryDepression and anxiety levels in "in vitro fertilization" patients with endometriosis
Endometriosis is a reproductive-aged and estrogen-dependent disease. The most common symptoms of this disease are dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, chronic pelvic pain, and infertility affecting the quality of life in several aspects mainly the psychological domain. In the literature, there are many studies…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis-related obstetrical complications and their outcome
Borisova et al. from the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics of Peoples' Friendship University, Moskow, Russia, and her colleagues from the Center of Perinatal and Reproductive Medicine of University Perugia, Italy, recently published a review of the literature data about…
Key Points Lay SummaryTime for reassessment : Laparoscopic surgery and bowel endometriosis
Ferrero and associates from medical centers of Verona and Genoa, Italy, made a comprehensive review covering all aspects of the surgical approach to bowel endometriosis, published their results in "Best Practice & Research Clinical Obstetrics and Gynaecology". Bowel endometriosis is the…
Key Points Lay SummaryPredictors of voiding dysfunction after surgery for deep endometriosis
While surgery for deep endometriosis provides relief and improves the quality of life in symptomatic patients for whom medical therapy has limited effect, it may also create postoperative lower urinary tract dysfunction. Moreover, postoperative voiding dysfunction could affect the quality…
Key Points Lay SummaryColorectal Deep Endometriosis Resection and Potential Complications
A severe clinical form of endometriosis, deeply infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) is characterized by more aggressive endometriotic lesions commonly involving deeper pelvic or gastrointestinal organs. It causes significant quality of life impairment and morbidity and is increasingly associated with infertility. When…
Key Points Lay SummaryFactors affecting the quality of life of women with endometriosis
Results from a new study suggest that the quality of life of women with endometriosis is significantly affected by their confidence to manage pain and their belief in the evolution of their condition. In this study, led by Rees M. et…
Key Points Lay SummaryDeep Endometriosis or Recto-uterine Obliteration Without Endometrioma
The diagnostic help of ultrasound is increasing by its ability to diagnose deep infiltrating and rectouterine pouch obliteration in patients who are suffering from chronic pelvic pain. Clinicians are used to evaluating the rectal and parametrial areas of the endometriotic…
Key Points Lay SummaryAntioxidant Enzymes in Endometriosis
Recent attention has been focused on the effect of oxidative stress in the development of endometriosis. Especially, there are several studies regarding glutathione peroxidase (GPX), a major enzyme in removing various reactive oxygen species. In the field of infertility, the…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe advantages of combined vaginal-laparoscopic approach on voiding dysfunction for rectovaginal endometriosis
The patients with rectovaginal endometriotic nodules with extensive vaginal infiltration who are managed combined vaginal-laparoscopic approach have a lower risk of postoperative bladder dysfunction when compared to surgery via laparoscopy alone. This is according to a manuscript published in the…
Key Points Lay SummaryInhibiting killer on the move
The three main forms of endometriosis are superficial, ovarian, and deep endometriosis. The latter is defined by the presence of endometriotic nodules that are deeper than 5 mm. Deep endometriosis is considered the most aggressive and is associated with severe…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometrial polyps of patients with and without endometriosis
Endometrial polyps are benign local overgrowths comprising both glands and the stroma, and are quite common in gynecological practice. Endometriosis patients also commonly have polyps, which have yielded different features than those from patients without endometriosis. Dr. Jiangand and associates…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe impact of laser vaporization on reproductive outcomes in women with endometrioma
Despite extensive research, the optimal method for the management of endometriosis still remains unclear. Excisional surgery is claimed with a more favorable outcome than drainage and ablation regarding the recurrence of disease and symptoms. On the other hand, cyst vaporization…
Key Points Lay SummaryA Call for Pan-Canadian Collaboration for the Care and Quality of Life of Endometriosis Patients
Wahl KJ et al., from Canada, drew attention to the lack of health care for endometriosis patients who are estimated to be 1 million in number in Canada in their recent brief communication report. The delay in the diagnosis, the…
Key Points Lay SummaryBowel surgery for endometriosis
Endometriosis is an estrogen-dependent disorder. The disease harbors various complications. Deep endometriosis involving the bowel is only one aspect of the condition that has variable phenotypic presentations and pathologic subtypes. Knowledge of the short- and long-term risks of the surgical…
Key Points Lay SummaryProgesterone Receptors and Endometriosis.
Endometriosis is characterized as a chronic and inflammatory disease in which the specific cause has not been completely understood. Nonetheless, altered estrogen signaling and progesterone resistance are the common attributes of endometriosis. Progesterone resistance is partly attributed to a decrease…
Key Points Lay SummaryBenefits of Nerve-Sparing Hysterectomy
The retroperitoneal spread of endometriosis or cancer may involve pelvic autonomic nerves situated on the lateral aspects of uterosacral ligaments, vesicouterine ligaments, and medial aspects of parametria. During the conventional open hysterectomy operations, nerve-sparing excision is very difficult, simply because pelvic autonomic nerves…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriotic mesenchymal stem cells may promote endometriosis
The cause of endometriosis is still debatable. Many researchers have accepted that retrograde menstruation, where the endometrial fragments released during menstruation attach and colonize the ectopic locations, is the most plausible reason. However, the numbers just do not add up.…
Key Points Lay SummaryIs there a commonality between endometriosis and systemic lupus?
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease that can affect many organs including the skin, joints, the central nervous system, and the kidneys. Women of childbearing age and certain racial groups are at increased risk to develop the condition.…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe Impact of Painful Sex on the Physical and Mental Wellbeing of Adolescent and Young Adult Women
Clinicians should ask adolescents and young women about painful sex, not just talk about contraception and the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases. This is because painful sexual intercourse could have a negative impact on relationships and peer engagement, which is…
Key Points Lay SummaryImmune cells and endometriosis pain
Endometriosis is an estrogen-dependent inflammatory disorder in women. This disease leads to dysmenorrhea, pelvic pain, and infertility. The immune reaction is one of the most widely accepted pathologies of endometriosis. Estrogen dysfunction stimulates immune cells in the peritoneal cavity affecting…
Key Points Lay SummaryHormone Therapy Before Endometriosis Surgery
Hormonal therapy can be effective for endometriosis, although laparoscopic surgery is required for the frequent drug-resistant symptoms. Laparoscopic surgery can markedly improve endometriosis-associated pain. The administration of GnRH agonist prior to endometriosis laparoscopic surgery may be beneficial to improve surgical…
Key Points Lay SummaryReproductive capacity and recurrence rate after surgery for Stage III/IV endometriosis
If gaining fertility back is the main goal, the surgical removal of endometriosis lesions is globally recognized as first-line therapy. Even though, pre- and postoperative hormone therapy leads to a significant decrease in the spread of the disease measured with the…
Key Points Lay SummaryEarly maternal separation and endometriosis progression in adult mice
The quality of life in the women affected by endometriosis depends on the symptoms and signs of endometriosis such as dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, chronic pelvic pain, and infertility. Although several studies have been performed to investigate the underlying pathophysiologic mechanism, it…
Key Points Lay SummaryIncreased expression of epithelial cell adhesion molecule and its possible role in epithelial-mesenchymal transition in endometriosis.
Endometriosis is an estrogen-dependent disease that functional endometrial tissue exists outside both the uterine cavity and myometrium. The pathogenesis of endometriosis remains unclear and controversial. According to the implantation theory, which is the most well-known, migration and invasion are two…
Key Points Lay SummaryFallopian tubes and endometriosis
There are multiple theories to explain the pathogenesis of endometriosis, among which the most popular one is Sampson's retrograde menstruation theory. The role of endometrial stem cells/progenitors are widely studied to support the origin of ectopic lesions in recent decades.…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis Impacts Transgender Adolescents
Shim J.Y. et al, from Boston, Massachusetts retrospectively searched the electronic medical records of transmasculine patients younger than 26 years old who were diagnosed with dysmenorrhea and treated at Boston Children’s Hospital, between January 1, 2000, and March 1, 2020.…
Key Points Lay SummaryIron overload in follicular fluid in Endometriosis
Around 20-50% of women with endometriosis have an infertility issue. Assisted reproductive technology (ART) is a common procedure to assist women with endometriosis to become pregnant. However, one major problem remains that women with endometriosis tend to have fewer oocytes…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe impact of obesity on safety and feasibility of laparoscopic endometriosis surgery
The quality of life in the women affected by endometriosis depends on the symptoms and signs of endometriosis such as dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, chronic pelvic pain, and infertility. The most common locations of endometriosis are ovary, ovarian fossa, uterosacral ligament, and…
Key Points Lay SummaryA New Treatment Approach for Endometriosis?
A new approach may be effective at relieving pain associated with endometriosis according to a study published in the PM&R Journal. The new technique may also improve “overall pelvic function, particularly in relation to intercourse, working, and sleeping,” according to the…
Key Points Lay SummaryAdolescent endometriosis
A recent article, led by experts from Peking Medical Union College, describes the clinical characteristics and postoperative symptoms of adolescent endometriosis. The authors inform that their report, which is published in the "Journal of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology", can provide…
Key Points Lay SummarySuggested remedies for endometriosis patients during coronavirus pandemic
The pandemic of COVID-19 continues to have important effects on endometriosis patients worldwide. Many health care facilities stopped providing surgical management and outpatient appointments are canceled or postponed. Dr. Leonardi from Australia and associates from several countries published their proposals…
Key Points Lay SummaryHysterectomy as a choise of chronic pelvic pain relief in endometriotic women.
Sandstrom et al. from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Umea University, Sweden, found a significant and long-lasting reduction in pain symptoms after hysterectomy among women with confirmed endometriosis and recently published their results in "BJOG". The authors performed…
Key Points Lay SummaryCancer-associated mutations and endometriosis
Endometriosis is thought to benign gynecological disease. However, recent studies compiled in this review paper suggest that spontaneous somatic mutations are driven to occur during the cyclic bleeding resulting in endometriosis tissue undergoing repeated tissue injury and repair. Mutations are…
Key Points Lay SummaryCabergoline or Progesterone not Effective in Rat Model of Endometriosis
Oral treatment with cabergoline or micronized progesterone for four weeks is not effective in the regression of endometriotic implants in a rat model of the disease. This is according to a study published in the "Journal of Investigative Surgery". Cabergoline…
Key Points Lay SummaryLocal inflammation and follicle development in women with ovarian endometriosis
Endometriosis, a cause of subfertility, is found in almost 50% of infertile women. The elevated levels of cytokines in the follicular fluid of patients with endometriosis might account for the ovulatory dysfunction. Granulosa cells (GCs) play important roles in follicular…
Key Points Lay SummaryAnogenital distance and endometriosis
Endometriosis may be associated with exposure of the embryo to chemicals called ‘endocrine disruptors’. Exposure to endocrine disruptors can be estimated by measuring the anogenital distance (i.e. the distance between the clitoris and the anus), using a centimeter ruler with…
Key Points Lay SummaryInternational experts commentary for assisted fertility treatment facilities amidst COVID-19
A multinational and multi-institutional commentary led by Dr. Alviggi from Italy and Dr.Esteves from Brazil has addressed important issues on assisted reproductive technology treatment amid COVID-19 lockdown suggesting remedies in the journal of "Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology" May 2020 issue.…
Key Points Lay SummaryRacial and ethnic disparities and women health
The well documented racial and ethnic disparities in Obstetrics and Gynecology in the US make available to use them as an indicator of implicit bias in giving unequal health and care service to minorities. Dr. Bryant from Massachusetts General Hospital,…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe effect of endometriosis on the quality of life
Endometriosis, the disease defined as the localization of endometrial glandular and stromal tissue outside the uterine cavity, can be diagnosed in the reproductive-aged women with an incidence of 7-15%. However, endometriosis is observed in women with chronic pelvic pain syndrome…
Key Points Lay SummaryMenstrual Blood Proteins for Endometriosis Diagnosis
Endometriosis is a gynecological disorder characterized by endometrial tissue outside the uterine cavity. The backflow of menstrual blood from the uterus through the fallopian tubes is thought to be the cause of endometrial tissue growing outside the uterine cavity when…
Key Points Lay SummaryRole of race in science
Although genome pioneers and social scientists agreed on not using the race as a variable in genetic research during human genome sequencing time, the use of race as a biological category has risen since. Traditionally ‘race’ has been used as…
Key Points Lay SummaryA hope for postoperative symptomatic endometriosis therapy
A new chapter in the treatment of symptomatic endometriosis patients may begin since new medical approaches including oral GnRH antagonists, selective progesterone receptor modulators, aromatase inhibitors, and peritoneal immune response modulators are being actively evaluated. To date, there was only…
Key Points Lay SummaryRacial Bias in Pain Assessment and Treatment Recommendations
This study, published by Hoffmann et al. in the April 2016 issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found that false beliefs about biological differences between blacks and whites are associated with the perception that black people feel less pain than do white…
Key Points Lay SummaryRace, socioeconomic status, and health
Racial disparities in health have been long noted in the United States. The differences in socioeconomic status across racial groups are a major contributor to racial disparities in health. However, race reflects multiple dimensions of social inequality. Understanding and effectively…
Key Points Lay SummaryDiagnosis and treatment algorithm for endometriosis
Endometriosis is a chronic and progressive disease that affects 25-30% of women between 25-35years, clinicians commonly experience during their gynecologic practice. However, the diagnosis is still late or sometimes incorrect, and this creates severe health problems and worse outcomes. A…
Key Points Lay SummaryDiscrepancies between racial/ethnic groups and choice of hysterectomy procedures
Dr. Pollack and associates from Washington University, St.Louis, made multistate research regarding the patient profile in hysterectomies and published their results in the 2019 December issue of "The Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology". The most frequently performed nonobstetric surgery in…
Key Points Lay SummaryIs oocyte cryopreservation useful for fertility preservation in ovarian endometriosis?
Women with endometriosis tend to have lower fecundity compared to normal couples. Furthermore, endometrioma itself may reduce the ovarian reserve by altering ovarian physiology in the surrounding healthy ovarian tissue. The treatment for endometrioma is surgical removal in most cases, however,…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis surgery and future pregnancy complications
Endometriosis is one of the known diseases for infertility in the reproductive period of women. Several studies revealed that endometriosis itself maybe the reason for some unfavorable obstetric outcomes. Localization, the type of endometriotic lesions, and the stage of endometriosis…
Key Points Lay SummaryCase-control study to develop a questionnaire for early diagnosis of endometriosis
Endometriosis, which affects 5–10% of women of reproductive age, is a chronic gynecological disease characterized by the presence of endometrial glands and stroma outside the uterus, associated with several discomforts such as pelvic pain, menstrual disorders, and infertility. Ultrasound evaluation…
Key Points Lay SummaryEast/South East Asian Ethnicity and Moderate-to-Severe Endometriosis
Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory disease that is defined by the presence of ectopic endometrial tissue outside of the uterus. Understanding how this disease affects diverse groups of people will aid doctors in assessing and diagnosing populations that are high-risk…
Key Points Lay SummaryUltrasound diagnosis of endometriosis: One Size Does-Not-Fit-All
Deeply infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) is an advanced form of endometriosis that causes significant morbidity to many women. The Pouch of Douglas (POD), otherwise known as the rectouterine space, is the anatomic area between the posterior cervix and anterior rectum. Its…
Key Points Lay SummaryImmune System, Cytokines and Endometriosis
Endometriosis is an estrogen-dependent chronic disease. Diagnosing endometriosis is difficult because the signs and symptoms vary considerably. Therefore, the discovery of a reliable non-invasive diagnostic biomarker would represent a major advance for the clinical diagnosis of endometriosis. It has been…
Key Points Lay SummaryNeglected needs of endometriosis and infertility patients during COVID-19 pandemic
With the global outbreak of the COVID-19, hospitals canceled surgeries and people are afraid of going to hospitals. However, chronic diseases still need to be managed. Rowe H. and Quinlivan J., researchers from Australia, pointed out the neglected needs of…
Key Points Lay SummaryRisk Factors Associated with Ureteral Endometriosis
Patients with severe endometriosis, uterosacral ligament deep involvement with endometriosis lesions of 3 cm in diameter or more, and the presence of previous endometriosis surgery have a significantly higher risk of having ureteral endometriosis. This is according to a study…
Key Points Lay SummaryLaparoscopic surgery for COVID-19 positive patients: A Dilemma
COVID-19 pandemic is the most important issue of our days. In this regard, it is crucial to keep health care providers (HCPs) safe and away from contamination. Doctors Without Borders reported that regardless of all preventive measurements, nearly eight percent…
Key Points Lay SummaryResveratrol for infertility: A frenemy?
Ovarian aging is defined by an age-specific decline of the functional ovarian reserve. Female ovarian reserve declines progressively with increasing chronological age. Chronic damage by reactive oxygen species results in deterioration and aging through mitochondrial dysfunction, telomere shortening, cohesion dysfunction,…
Key Points Lay SummaryFatigue from the viewpoint of patients with endometriosis
Fatigue, feeling spoonie, is documented as a significant symptom of endometriosis in many studies. Researchers from three different institutions dealing with reproductive health conducted individual interviews with patients reporting moderate to severe endometriosis-related pain to better understand endometriosis-related fatigue and…
Key Points Lay SummaryNAT2 as potential biomarker for the diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis
Endometriosis affects 5–10% of women of reproductive age causing several discomforts, pelvic pain, menstrual disorders, ectopic bleeding, infertility, and sometimes even malignant transformation but its etiology remains unclear. Accumulating evidence point a key role for genetic factors and there is…
Key Points Lay SummaryNew Insights on Infertility and Low Success Rates of Assisted Reproduction in Women with Endometriosis
The fluid surrounding immature eggs waiting to mature and be fertilized by a sperm to lead to pregnancy is different in women with endometriosis compared to those without, according to a study published in Molecular Biology Reports. This could explain,…
Key Points Lay SummarymiR-92a and progesterone resistance in endometriosis
Endometriosis is an estrogen-dependent disorder. This incidence of this disease is 35% to 50% among those who suffer from chronic pelvic pain and infertility, which has a negative effect on the quality of life and on health. Recent genome-wide associations…
Key Points Lay SummaryImproved fusion imaging for the detection of Endometriosis
This paper studied a new fusion method for magnetic resonance (MR) and ultrasound (US) imaging for the appropriate diagnosis of endometriosis. The diagnosis of endometriosis in patients with a chronic pelvic disease is delayed, due to the disease, patient, and physician-led…
Key Points Lay SummaryDefective “ferroptosis”: a new pathogenetic explanation of endometriosis
Dr. Ng and associates from Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, USA made a comprehensive review of the role of the iron element in the development of endometriotic lesions. Though iron element is essential for cell survival, and its deficiency is important…
Key Points Lay SummaryAre endometriosis patients at higher risk of bipolar disorder?
Endometriosis patients are prone to develop certain psychiatric disorders, including depression and anxiety, as well as bipolar disorder, according to a nationwide population-based cohort study from Taiwan. Bipolar disorder formerly called manic-depression is a chronic mental disorder characterized by unusual changes…
Key Points Lay SummaryMaternal body mass index and neonatal outcomes in women with endometriosis
Endometriosis is defined as the localization of endometrial glandular and stromal-like tissue outside the uterine cavity. Its prevalence is 10-15% in the general population of this age. However, endometriosis is diagnosed more frequently in infertile women with a prevalence of…
Key Points Lay SummaryInterleukin-37b inhibits the growth of murine endometriosis-like lesions
Endometriosis is a chronic gynecological disease that causes chronic pain and infertility in women. Despite continuous efforts and numerous research, there is, ultimately, still much to understand about the pathogenesis of endometriosis. Inflammatory factors including several interleukins have already been…
Key Points Lay SummaryHysterolaparoscopy Plus Assisted Reproduction Improves Fertility in Women with Endometriosis
Hysteroscopy and laparoscopic surgery is an effective and reliable therapeutic procedure, confirmed a study published in the "Journal of Clinical Medicine". The approach is even more effective when combined with assisted reproductive techniques such as artificial insemination and in vitro…
Key Points Lay SummarySteroid hormone receptors in endometriosis
Therapeutics that target the steroid hormones are the standard treatment for women with endometriosis because steroid hormones play an important role in endometrial physiology and pathogenesis of endometriosis. Examples of these therapeutics include anti-estrogens, estrogen receptor (ER) modulators, progestins, and…
Key Points Lay SummaryHow should MRI images be obtained for optimal endometriosis detection?
It is well known that the diagnosis of endometriosis for some patients with the chronic pelvic disease is delayed, often for years, due to the disease, patient, and physician-led factors. An area of active study is how ordering physicians can…
Key Points Lay SummaryTransvaginal sonography for predicting the distance between rectosigmoid endometriosis and the anal verge
For optimal surgery, pre-surgical assessment of the distance between rectosigmoid deep endometriosis lesions and the anal verge (Lesion to Anal Verge Distance-LAVD) is recommended by many specialists. A group of researchers from Norway, Austria, and Australia studied the accuracy of…
Key Points Lay SummarySurgical approach to rectovaginal endometriosis.
Recto-vaginal endometriosis incidence is estimated at 3.8%-37% among women with endometriosis and when it exists it's a part of deeply infiltrated endometriosis, thus advance stage endometriosis. Raimondo et al. from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the University of…
Key Points Lay SummarytRNA-derived fragments in ovarian endometriosis?
Endometriosis is an estrogen-dependent mysterious disorder characterized by the presence of endometrium outside the normal location of the uterus cavity. This disease affects approximately 10% of reproductive-aged women and becomes a major reason for infertility in reproductive-aged women and dysmenorrhea…
Key Points Lay SummaryRecurrence following surgery for subtypes of endometriosis
Endometriosis is a disease identified by the location of endometrial stromal and glandular cells outside the uterine cavity. It is considered as a gynecological disease of reproductive-aged women. Three subtypes of endometriosis are peritoneal endometriosis which defines the endometriotic lesions…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe link between ovarian cancer and endosalpingiosis
The presence of benign glands lined by tubal-type epithelium in the peritoneum and subperitoneal tissues is called "endosalpingiosis". A recent study that investigates the possible association between endosalpingiosis and ovarian cancer was conducted by Hermens et al., from the Netherlands, and has…
Key Points Lay SummaryNon-hormonal chemicals for endometriosis related pain reduction
Loi and colleagues conducted a clinical prospective study at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Cagliari, Italy, and published in the journal "International Journal of Women’s Health". Formation of adhesions and/or interference with the reproductive process endometriosis, severe…
Key Points Lay SummaryFertility conservation in women with endometriosis
Endometriosis affects 10-15% of women in their reproductive period and almost half of them may need Assisted Reproductive techniques to conceive. Moreover, increased malignancy risk is threatening the women with severe endometriosis in addition to their decreased ovarian reserve. Due…
Key Points Lay SummaryImaging of gastrointestinal endometriosis
Endometriosis is a disease characterized by the ectopic implantation of endometrial tissue to surrounding pelvic and extra-pelvic structures. One frequent site of involvement is the gastrointestinal(GI) tract, which occurs especially among women with deep infiltrating endometriosis. Most cases of GI-involving…
Key Points Lay SummaryFertility preservation protocols in women with endometriosis
Infertility is one of the major symptoms in women with endometriosis. Childbearing at a delayed age is preferred by the majority of women recently who consult for the demand for fertility preservation procedures. There are several techniques for fertility preservation…
Key Points Lay SummaryUrgent Need For Building Resilience
According to Naeem et al.’s article, “Coping with Covid”, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is the ideal intervention tool to increase resilience. Their study has recently been published in "Kyber Medical University Journal". The authors investigate the psychological impact of the Covid-19…
Key Points Lay SummaryFertility and Oxidative Stress
One of the characteristics of endometriosis is oxidative stress caused by an imbalance between the production of reactive oxygen species and their resolution by antioxidants. Increased oxidative stress can lead to the damage of proteins, lipids, DNA and other molecules.…
Key Points Lay SummaryEarly Life Factors for Endometriosis
Endometriosis affects approximately 10% of reproductive-aged women. Despite the significant impact, the etiology of endometriosis is still unclear. A recent systematic review of 15 studies of adolescents found that overall 65% of girls undergoing laparoscopic investigation were diagnosed with endometriosis.…
Key Points Lay SummaryCan Controlled Trials Help Surgeons Decide on Best Way to Treat Endometriosis-Associated Pain?
It may not be realistic to base the decision on the best way to surgically treat pain in a woman with endometriosis on the results of surgical randomized controlled trials. This is according to a study by researchers at the…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe Relationship Between Dyspareunia and Infertility in Endometriosis
Wahl et al. from the Center of Pelvic Pain and Endometriosis British Columbia Women's Hospital, Vancouver, Canada studied with endometriotic patients suffering from dyspareunia who were referred to their center and built a cross-sectional study to investigate the relations between…
Key Points Lay SummaryAll aspects of endometriosis reviewed with focus on modern management
Dr. Chapron and associates from academic centers in France published in Nature Review Endocrinology, a comprehensive review on endometriosis. The article is inclusive of all aspects of endometriosis but especially focuses on the management of the disease with its contemporary status. Having a…
Key Points Lay SummaryAbdominal wall endometriosis: Who is at risk and what causes it?
Endometriosis is a condition that can cause anatomic, hormonal, and inflammatory disturbances that may ultimately result in decreased fertility or infertility. It is a disease process that is defined as ectopic endometrial-like tissue implanting itself to various pelvic and extra…
Key Points Lay SummaryPolymorphisms and endometriosis: a systematic review and meta-analyses.
The symptoms of endometriosis are varied among women and include chronic pelvic pain, infertility, and fatigue. There are no reliable blood tests and medical imaging techniques such as MRI and ultrasound are not always satisfactory. The lack of endometriosis-specific symptoms…
Key Points Lay SummaryKisspeptin and its Receptor in the Pathogenesis of Endometriosis
It is known that matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) may play a role in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. For example, the upregulation of MMP-2 and MMP-9 may enhance the degradation of extracellular matrix proteins, facilitating cell migration and invasion. Kisspeptin (KISS1, also…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe predictive factors for early spontaneous miscarriage in IVF/ICSI cycles
The most common presenting complaints of endometriosis are mainly dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, chronic pelvic pain, and infertility. Affected women demand therapy for these symptoms of endometriosis, notably fertility problems. The clinical pregnancy rate has increased up to 60% in assisted reproductive…
Key Points Lay SummaryRegulation of Inflammation in Endometriosis
Endometriosis is an estrogen-dependent and multifaceted gynecological condition. Unfortunately, this disease frequently causes chronic and cyclic pelvic pain. Though there are several treatments are available, there is not an actual cure for this disease. Therefore, the development of new therapy…
Key Points Lay SummaryDiaphragmatic endometriosis
Diaphragmatic endometriosis is a rare clinical condition that may show signs and symptoms like chest pain, right upper quadrant abdominal pain, shoulder pain, pleuritic pain, hemothorax, pneumothorax, hemoptysis, and thoracic endometriosis syndrome while the major part of the patients is…
Key Points Lay SummaryLeiomyomas have similar genetic background with endometriosis
This multicenter research conducted in institutions located in the USA and UK published in Nature Communications, October 2019 issue. Leiomyomata of the uterus are hormone-dependent tumors with an estimated prevalence of about 20-77%. İn several publications. Research in uterine leiomyoma…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometrioma, follicular fluid, oocyte and embryo
It is estimated that infertility occurs in more than one-third of women with endometriosis. How endometriosis affects fertility, however, is not clearly known. The follicular fluid provides a microenvironment for oocyte development and impacts embryo quality. Thus, it is believed…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis May Change Women’s Personality, Study Suggests
The personality of women may be altered as a result of endometriosis, according to a study published in the Journal of "Psychosomatic Obstetrics & Gynecology". This finding suggests that a better understanding of the disease is needed in order to…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe relationship of serum concentrations of neuropilin-1 (NRP-1) and endometriosis
Although many serum biomarkers or biomarker panels for endometriosis are evaluated, none of them is exact enough to be used in daily laboratory practice. In a recent study, which has been published in Scandinavian Journal Of Clinical and Laboratory Investigation, Barberic…
Key Points Lay SummaryCurrent Status of Transvaginal Ultrasound Accuracy in the Diagnosis of Deep Infiltrating Endometriosis
Transvaginal ultrasound (TVUS) is an imaging tool that is irreplaceable for the diagnosis of multiple gynecologic conditions such as ovarian torsion, ectopic pregnancy, and uterine leiomyomas. TVUS is increasingly being used in the diagnosis of endometriosis as it can assess…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe genetic mutations in uterine adenomyosis
Adenomyosis is defined as the localization of endometrial stromal and glandular cells in the myometrium. This disease is a reproductive-aged women disease, like endometriosis. Additionally, adenomyosis is frequently observed together with endometriosis and leiomyomas due to common histological features and…
Key Points Lay SummaryHow well do providers understand endometriosis?
Endometriosis is a challenging disease no matter what side of the equation you are in, a patient or a provider who cares for patients with the disease. It impacts millions of women worldwide, making it one of the most prevalent…
Key Points Lay SummaryPhytotherapy as an alternative endometriosis treatment
Endometriosis is an estrogen-dependent gynecological disease that affects 5–10% of women in fertile age. Different therapeutic strategies are available to treat this disease, such as surgery, hormonal therapies, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Medical therapy usually consists of different hormonal drugs,…
Key Points Lay SummaryAdiposity, endometriosis type and severity
Dr. Jiyoung from the division of Public Health, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine of the University of Utah, planned a prospective cross-sectional study to assess whether there is an inverse relationship between the adiposity and endometriosis. The results of…
Key Points Lay SummaryIntegrated bioinformatic analysis for endometriosis diagnosis
Endometriosis is considered as a non-malignant disease, but it is associated with several unfavorable conditions including non‑menstrual pelvic pain and infertility. Surgical resection and hormone suppression are common means of treatments; however, several side-effects and the recurrence are not preventable.…
Key Points Lay SummaryPreoperative serum CA 125 levels predict the severity of adhesions in endometriosis
Lee Y. et al., a group of researchers from Korea evaluated the correlation between preoperative serum markers and pelvic adhesions in endometriosis patients and explored the markers’ clinical value for outcome prediction. They have recently published their study in the…
Key Points Lay SummaryWhich treatment option improves fertility the most?
Endometriosis is a condition that causes anatomic, hormonal, and inflammatory disturbances that may ultimately result in decreased fertility or infertility. It is estimated that 30-50% of women with endometriosis suffer from infertility. Thus, the role of surgical, medical, or expectant…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis and Women’s Tendency Towards Blood Clotting
Women with ovarian endometriomas have an abnormally increased tendency toward blood clotting, study shows. Researchers think that this is due to the inflammatory nature of endometriosis. So abnormal coagulation parameters could be used to diagnose endometriosis, however, more detailed studies…
Key Points Lay SummaryTreatment choices for abdominal wall endometriosis
Welch et.al, from the Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, worked with his gynecologist colleagues to underline the current treatment algorithm of abdominal wall endometriosis in Mayo Clinic. Their experience results recently published in the journal "Abdominal Radiology". Abdominal wall…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe role of acidic ribosomal protein P1 in Endometriosis
Endometriosis is an estrogen-dependent disorder. The disease develops and composed of the ectopic endometrial-like tissue which establishes primarily in the pelvic cavity. Previous findings clearly show that estrogen-related factors are critical for endometriosis development and progression. However, we do have…
Key Points Lay SummaryStrength exercise may not be helpful for the management of endometriosis-related pain
Women with endometriosis often suffer from pelvic pain, although the disease severity is not correlated with pain intensity. Research in pain symptoms suggests that several neuromodulatory events are involved, including reduced peripheral induced pain thresholds and significant changes to the…
Key Points Lay SummaryA review of endometriosis in adolescent girls and young women
Endometriosis is an estrogen-dependent disease which is commonly diagnosed in reproductive-aged women. On the other hand, this disease can develop earlier in life due to different etiopathogenetic mechanisms. Especially adolescents who experienced neonatal uterine bleeding are under the risk for…
Key Points Lay SummaryCould my Peritoneal Fluid Have a Negative Effect on my Partner’s Sperm?
The peritoneal fluid of women with endometriosis could negatively affect the quality and functionality of sperm, according to a study by Spanish researchers. This could explain infertility linked to the male partners of women with endometriosis. The knowledge could also…
Key Points Lay SummaryWorrying signs of Endometriosis on Hysterosalpingography
Hysterosalpingography (HSG) is an imaging modality that utilizes fluoroscopy in order to evaluate the uterine cavity, fallopian tubes, and adjacent peritoneal cavity by injecting contrast media through the cervical canal. It is an important tool in the work-up of patients who…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis Severity and Complication Risks Following Laparoscopic Surgery
In a research article published in the journal Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica, researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts suggested that the severity of endometriosis could not be a predictor of the risk of post-operative complications. In…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe association between endometriosis and ectopic pregnancy
Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory disease with a broad spectrum of symptoms such as dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, chronic pelvic pain and fertility problems. It has been understood in the light of scientific evidence that endometriosis is also associated with other poor…
Key Points Lay SummaryWhat we should know in managing infertility related to endometriosis?
Dr. Llarena and associates made a comprehensive review of the causes of infertility in endometriosis and adverse effects of surgical procedures in Clinical Medicine Insights: Reproductive Health. Infertility is an important issue in endometriosis patients and about 30-50 % face infertility.…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease
Endometriosis and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease show the same pathologic mechanism in terms of endothelial dysfunction. Tan et al. from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada reviewed the literature aiming to determine whether women…
Key Points Lay SummaryCXCR4 or CXCR7 antagonists as novel therapies for endometriosis
Endometriosis is a common, estrogen-dependent chronic inflammatory disorder. It affects approximately 5-10% of reproductive-aged women and 20-50% of infertile women. Endometriosis also has a significant social and psychological impact on the lives of women. Despite such a significant burden, there…
Key Points Lay SummaryWhat do Women with Endometriosis Think About the Medical Profession?
Failure of surgical treatment, use of the emergency room, and access to complementary healthcare are factors associated with a negative perception of the medical profession in women with endometriosis. This is according to a study conducted by researchers in British…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis signaling: the role of IL-34
An increasing number of studies have suggested that the pathogenesis of endometriosis is mediated by cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)−17, which promoted the formation and progression of endometriosis by up-regulating angiogenesis and pro-inflammatory cytokines secretion. IL-34 is a newly described…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis and ovarian reserve
Endometriosis is most frequently encountered in reproductive-aged women. Its prevalence is 10-15% in the general population of this age. However, endometriosis is diagnosed more frequently in infertile women with a prevalence of 25-40%. Although the exact mechanism explaining the association between…
Key Points Lay SummaryWhen to do - and when not to do surgery for endometriosis
Endometriosis is an estrogen-dependent disorder. It was estimated to affect about 176 million women in the world and usually causes pelvic pain and infertility. Unfortunately, the current understanding of this disease is very limited. Though there are many remaining questions,…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis in the Urinary Bladder
A case of bladder endometriosis is reported by Geng JH, from Taiwan, and the paper has been recently published in The New England Journal Of Medicine. The patient was a 38-year-old woman presented to the outpatient urology clinic with complaints…
Key Points Lay SummaryDoes the Severity of Endometriosis Increase the Risk of Complications Following Surgery?
The severity of endometriosis cannot predict the risk of complications after laparoscopy. Instead, the complexity of the surgical procedure itself may increase the risk of complications. This is according to a study published in the journal "Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica".…
Key Points Lay SummaryNatural killer cells receptor expression in endometriosis
Increasingly, studies have reported that endometriosis pathogenesis is related to defect in immune functions. The data also points to the impaired function of natural killer (NK) cells, leading to less cytotoxic NK cell activity in endometriosis. Similar to B and…
Key Points Lay SummaryA new ultrasound subgrouping reveals good clinical correlations in adenomyosis
Exacoustos and colleagues from two endometriosis tertiary referral centers in Rome, Italy published their observational, prospective study of the recently proposed transvaginal ultrasonographic scoring system in the "Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology". Adenomyosis or “endometriosis interna” is defined as the…
Key Points Lay SummaryRecent advances in the diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis
Endometriosis is an estrogen-dependent disease that is commonly diagnosed in reproductive-aged women. The most common complaints of women with endometriosis are pain and fertility problems. Although many advanced types of research about the etiology, differential diagnosis and treatment have been…
Key Points Lay SummarySurgery and the endometriosis associated-pain: A systematic review
The surgical approach for pelvic pain-related to endometriosis depends on the stage and the type of the endometriotic lesion and ranging from ablation and the excision of the lesions to radical surgery as hysterectomy with removal of ovaries and presacral…
Key Points Lay SummaryMedical databases yield 32 published cases of surgically treated liver endometriosis
Prodromidou and colleagues from Greece have published a review of surgically diagnosed, histopathologically proven liver endometriosis cases published worldwide, in the journal "Annals of Hepatology". Searching at three electronic medical databases namely, PubMed (1966–2019), Scopus(2004–2019), and Google Scholar (2004–2019) for…
Key Points Lay SummaryHemorrhagic Ascites, Belly-Blood: The cause may be endometriosis!
A paper on the presentation of hemorrhagic ascites in endometriosis patients, written by Bernard et al. from the United States and China, was published in the journal Fertility and Sterility. From 1978 to 2016, the authors found only 37 articles, which describe 42…
Key Points Lay SummaryRisk of placenta previa is elevated in endometriotic women who underwent surgery.
In the last decade concerns raised for surgical operations performed before pregnancies of endometriotic patients due to significantly increased risk of pregnancy complications such as placenta previa, preterm birth, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, placental abruption, postpartum hemorrhage and small baby…
Key Points Lay SummaryQuality of Endometriosis Healthcare: What Do Patients Feel, What Do Doctors Say?
Patients and doctors seem to agree that clinical care for women with endometriosis needs improving. This is according to the results of a study published in the Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics & Gynecology. Endometriosis is a severe condition where chronic…
Key Points Lay SummaryRegret assessment in women under 35 years who underwent hysterectomy
Hysterectomy is the most common gynecological operation in women for the management of benign or malign indications. Leiomyomas, menorrhagia, endometriosis, and pain unresponsive to medical treatment can be accepted as the most common indications for hysterectomy. However, hysterectomy, as the…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis features vs Patient age
Endometriosis, a common gynecological disease, has significant negative impacts on patients’ daily life. Especially in younger women who have yet to achieve pregnancy, effective management should consider the disease progression. Though it is still under debate, some people suggest that…
Key Points Lay SummaryCloverleaf Sign: A new MRI sign for diagnosing DIE
Magnetic resonance imaging provides accurate information for the staging of deeply infiltrating endometriosis, especially when the patient is virgin, obese or has limited transvaginal examinations due to pelvic pain. In this recently published study in Investive Radiology, Harma et al.…
Key Points Lay SummaryHow Best to Assess Productivity at Work Among Women with Endometriosis?
The health-related productivity questionnaire (HRPQ) is a valid tool to evaluate patient-reported productivity at work and at home among women with endometriosis found a study by U.S. researchers. This finding is important because it shows that HRPQ can be used…
Key Points Lay SummaryA new target for the treatment of endometriosis?
Endometriosis affects around 10% of women in reproductive age, estimating more than 176 million women worldwide. Inflammation in the pelvic cavity is very common in endometriosis patients. Therefore, there are high concentrations of cytokines and immune cells in the peritoneal…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe effect of endometriosis on implantation in women with endometriosis associated infertility
One of the most common clinical findings of women with endometriosis is fertility problems. Women with endometriosis often benefit from in vitro fertilization methods to get pregnant. However, whether there is a detrimental effect of endometriosis on in vitro fertilization outcomes…
Key Points Lay SummaryA rigorous literature review on endometriosis
Bulun SE. et al., from Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, conducted a rigorous literature review on endometriosis. This outstanding review by Dr. Bulun et al. addresses the definition, remarkable medical features, clinically useful research findings, prevalence and distribution,…
Key Points Lay SummaryIncreased obstetrical complications after ART therapy in endometriosis patients.
To examine the impact of endometriosis and adenomyosis on ART therapy, Harada et al. from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Tottori University, Japan, planned a prospective cohort study and published their results recently in PLoS One. The study…
Key Points Lay SummarySerum anti-Müllerian hormone levels for predicting spontaneous pregnancy after endometriosis surgery
Endometriosis is a disease defined as the localization of endometrial glandular and stromal cells outside the uterine cavity. Although there are several medical and surgical therapeutic options, the most effective treatment modality has not yet been elucidated. The main…
Key Points Lay SummaryStudy Sheds Light on Physiological Processes Associated with Endometriosis
Sensory nerves play an important role in the development of endometriosis as well as fibrosis, confirms a study by Chinese researchers. A better understanding of physiological processes associated with the development of endometriosis can help researchers devise new ways to…
Key Points Lay SummaryConsquences of endometriosis in menopausal period.
Marie-Scemama et al. from Foch Hospital, Suresnes, France, referred to endometriosis and menopause which is an actual cruising topic and recently published it in the journal named "Hormone Molecular Biology and Clinical Investigation". Endometriosis a well-known estrogen-dependent disease has three…
Key Points Lay SummaryIs there any difference between endometriosis patients with or without obliterated cul-de-sac during laparoscopic hysterectomy?
Endometriosis is a disease defined as the localization of endometrial glandular and stromal cells outside the uterine cavity. It is diagnosed in 10% to 15% of reproductive-aged women. Women with endometriosis demand therapy for the most common symptoms, which are…
Key Points Lay SummaryA new technique for laparoscopic management of ovarian endometriosis.
To cause a minimal hazardous effect on ovarian reserve during laparoscopic surgery of endometriomas is always a great concern for clinicians. Shaltout et al. from Cairo University, Egypt, examined the effect of "Surgicel" on preventing the recurrence of endometriomas and…
Key Points Lay SummaryPerinatal risk factors for endometriosis
Gao M. et al., from Sweden analyzed the associations of maternal and birth characteristics with the risk of endometriosis among Swedish women of reproductive age. They have recently published their study in the "International Journal of Epidemiology". The authors conducted…
Key Points Lay SummaryNew Protein for Endometriosis Diagnosis
A protein called TIMP3 (tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-3) could be used for the diagnosis and prognosis (likely course) of endometriosis. The early diagnosis of endometriosis is of paramount importance because it can help to diagnosis and thus initiate the right…
Key Points Lay SummaryDoes ovarian endometriosis affect oocyte quality?
Endometriosis is a very common gynecological disorder affecting women in their reproductive years. It is reported that patients with endometriosis have reduced implantation and pregnancy rates compared to healthy women. According to the various previous studies, the quality of the…
Key Points Lay SummaryPatients preferences for the treatment of endometriosis-associated pain
Endometriosis is defined as the location of endometrial stroma and glands outside the uterine cavity. The most common presenting complaints are mainly dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, chronic pelvic pain, and infertility, most of which relate to the menstrual period. Those women affected…
Key Points Lay SummaryHow to predict complications for endometriosis surgery?
In a new study co-led by scientists at Sorbonne University, a nomogram is built to better inform patients about the risk of deep endometriosis surgery without bowel involvement. The findings have been published in the European Journal of Obstetrics &…
Key Points Lay SummaryMelatonin receptors and their role in endometrial cell proliferation
Women with endometriosis demand therapy for the most common symptoms, which are pelvic pain and infertility. Despite extensive research, the exact pathophysiological mechanism and the optimal management of endometriosis still remains unclear. Management of endometriosis should aim to relieve pain,…
Key Points Lay SummaryAtherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and endometriosis
Dr. Omur Taskin and associates from British Columbia, Canada, have recently published a review regarding the potential link between atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and endometriosis in The Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology. Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of…
Key Points Lay SummaryImpact of hemostatic techniques used in endometrioma surgery on ovarian function
This publication reports on an ongoing clinical trial that aims to assess whether the hemostatic techniques (methods to stop bleeding) used in ovarian endometrioma surgery have damaging effects on ovarian function. The clinical trial stemmed from a multitude of inconclusive…
Key Points Lay SummaryA miniaturized version of endometrium: organoids for endometriosis research
Organoids are a miniaturized version of a tissue that is produced in culture through three dimensions techniques in order to better mimic the tissues of origin. These cultures are supposed to better replicate the complexity of a biological organ/disease. Endometrial…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe accuracy of "lower endoscopic ultrasound" for the preoperative diagnosis of rectosigmoid endometriosis
Endometriosis affects reproductive-aged women most frequently with a prevalence of 5% to 15%. If the endometriotic lesions involve the bowel especially sigmoid colon and rectum, this subtype of endometriosis is named as "bowel" or "rectosigmoid" endometriosis. Rectosigmoid endometriosis is encountered in…
Key Points Lay SummaryInside to outside or from outside to inside?
Pathogenesis of "adenomyosis", presence of the ectopic endometrium tissue within the uterine muscles, has largely been classically based on origin from basalis endometrium. Khan and associates from Japan have published their new conceptual findings on adenomyosis in Reproductive BioMedicine Online. In…
Key Points Lay SummaryPlausible biomarkers for noninvasive endometriosis diagnosis
Endometriosis is an estrogen-dependent benign gynecological disease characterizing ectopic deposition of endometrial tissue outside of the uterine cavity. It affects about 10% of reproductive-aged women and causes enormous negative impacts on the quality of lives. However, we do not have…
Key Points Lay SummaryNanotechnology as a tool for targeted therapy of endometriosis
Endometriosis is a process whereby endometrial cells persistently grow and invade extra-uterine tissue through a primarily estrogen-dependent manner. These ectopic endometrial cells proliferate in sometimes an uncontrolled manner, similar to cancer or inflammatory tissues. To proliferate, cells need cholesterol to…
Key Points Lay SummaryHow to Classify Endometriosis for a better and effective evaluation
Endometriosis affects 10% of women in their reproductive period and causes infertility around 40% of women who have the disease. Peritoneal fluid may be one of the factors to facilitate the spread of endometriosis to ovaries, peritoneum and other deep…
Key Points Lay SummaryMortality of 49956 midlife women with surgically verified endometriosis
Saavalainen L. et al., from Finland recently published a retrospective large cohort study in the journal Human Reproduction, where they retrospectively examined the data of surgically verified endometriosis patients to find out if all-cause and the cause-specific mortality rate is…
Key Points Lay SummaryWhich Diagnosis Technique is Better?
Transvaginal ultrasound provides a more accurate localization of vaginal and recto-vaginal endometriosis compared to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) according to a study published in the International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics. However, MRI has better accuracy in detecting bladder endometriosis…
Key Points Lay SummaryInfertility in women with endometriosis
Endometriosis is an estrogen-dependent gynecological disease mostly encountered in reproductive-aged women. The most common presenting complaints are dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, chronic pelvic pain, and infertility. Despite extensive research, the etiopathogenic mechanism underlying the two has not been fully elucidated. Although human…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe Effect of Imbalanced Progesterone Receptors-A/B on Gelatinase Expressions in Endometriosis
Endometriosis is a benign disease which affects approximately 10% of reproductive-aged women and is one of the most common reasons for infertility. Though the underlying mechanisms of disease progression have not been clearly understood, it develops as a consequence of…
Key Points Lay SummaryFusion US/MR imaging in the evaluation of deep infiltrating endometriosis
Scioscia M. et al., from Italy presented a case of a large deep infiltrating nodule of the uterosacral ligament and discussed the importance of a relatively new technique, fusion US/MR imaging in their article. The article containing a video of…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis that involves the nerves: how Radiologists can help
Endometriosis is a disease with variable clinical symptoms. While rare, nerve involvement by endometriosis may cause neurologic symptoms such as pelvic pain, muscle weakness, bowel and bladder incontinence, and paraplegia depending on the specific nerve involved. Thus, abdominal radiologists should…
Key Points Lay SummaryA position statement of diagnosing and treating endometriosis for gynecologists.
Endometriosis Treatment Italian Group recently declared 10 "valuable" conducts to evaluate endometriotic patients and published them in Hum. Reprod. Open. This society consists of 16 university departments and training center with expert clinicians on endometriosis from Italy. After arising the idea of…
Key Points Lay SummaryBabies Born Lighter May Have a Higher Risk of Developing Endometriosis Later in Life
Being exposed to growth restriction before birth seems to be associated with a higher risk of developing endometriosis during a woman’s reproductive years. Other factors such as having fewer liveborn children and prior infertility problems, also seem to be important…
Key Points Lay SummaryHealth care resource utilization and cost in women with endometriosis
Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting 6-10% of reproductive-aged women. The clinical picture of the disease range from asymptomatic findings to dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, chronic pelvic pain, and infertility. Endometriosis has also complex etiopathogenetic background. This broad clinical spectrum, the…
Key Points Lay SummaryChronic Fatigue Syndrome and Endometriosis: Comorbid Conditions
In the study of Dr. Boneva et al., from Atlanta, GA, the United States which has recently been published in the journal Frontiers in Pediatrics evaluated the impact of endometriosis on the health of women with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). The authors compared…
Key Points Lay SummaryA study about adnexial torsion doubts in patients with endometriosis.
Endometrioma is the presence of endometriosis cysts in the ovary, and is one of the most common forms of endometriosis, with unknown pathophysiology. Adnexal torsion results in twisting ovarian tissues resulting in a decreased blood flow. The causes for adnexal torsion due…
Key Points Lay SummaryPatients with Pelvic Pain Most Likely to Benefit from Endometriosis Surgery
Women who experience higher levels of pain are more likely to show improvement in their quality of life (QoL) following endometriosis surgery, according to a study published in The Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology. Chronic pelvic pain seems to be…
Key Points Lay SummarySurgical treatment of deeply infiltrating endometriosis in tertiary treatment centers
In the present study, data from patients who were surgically treated for deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) in a tertiary referral unit, the Avicenna Centre for Endometriosis and Minimally Invasive Gynecology (ACEMIG, Tehran, Iran), were examined for rates of intraoperative and…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe predictors for the coexistence of uterine leiomyomas and endometriosis
Uterine leiomyomas are the most common gynecological benign tumors affecting 20-25% of reproductive-aged women. Abnormal bleeding, pelvic pain, pelvic pressure, and infertility are major symptoms of these tumors. Endometriosis is another gynecological disease encountered in 10-15% of reproductive-aged women. The…
Key Points Lay SummaryTransvaginal Ultrasound and the Imaging of Endometriosis
Ultrasonography (US) is an imaging tool that uses sound waves to produce a two-dimensional picture inside of the body. The ultrasonography has become especially useful in the assessment of gynecologic pathologies such as endometriosis. Depending on the severity of endometriosis,…
Key Points Lay SummaryImportance of monocytic myeloid derived supressor cells in endometriosis
Myeloid-derived suppressor cells MDSCs are immature myeloid cells that play a major role in immunosuppression in various disease processes. Ya Sun and associates have investigated these cells in endometriosis utilizing various laboratory methods. published their results in the "American Journal of…
Key Points Lay SummarySeven Hormonal Biomarkers for Diagnosing Endometriosis
Endometriosis is an inflammatory condition characterized by implantation and invasive growth of endometrial tissue outside the uterine cavity. Although it is benign, endometriosis has cancer-like features, a mutation profile similar to that of ovarian cancer, and increased ovarian cancer risk.…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe link between autoimmunity and endometriosis
A popular model to explain the etiology of endometriosis is Sampson’s theory of retrograde menstruation. In this model, the viable endometrial tissue is spread and attached to the peritoneal cavity through the fallopian tubes during menstruation, resulting in an inflammatory…
Key Points Lay SummaryAnalogous pathways of peritoneal tumor wound healing and endometriosis.
Endometriosis, diagnosed around 10-15% of women population in their reproductive period, is a chronically progressive inflammatory disease to cause peritoneal lesions while spreading into the abdominal cavity. The pathophysiology of the adhesions between the peritoneum and pelvic organs can be…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndocrine-disrupting chemicals – yet another environmental factor associated with endometriosis?
This study by Wen et al., published in Gynecological Endocrinology, analyzed evidence connecting endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) to the incidence of endometriosis in a collection of 30 previously published studies. Results show that exposure to many EDC's are linked to the…
Key Points Lay SummaryUrocortin: A biomarker deserving investigation for endometriosis patients
Urocortin is a neuropeptide in the corticotropin-releasing hormone family and is expressed by eutopic and ectopic human endometria. Since it has paracrine and immunomodulatory effects, urocortin is thought to contribute to the pathogenesis of endometriosis. Its expression has been thoroughly…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe coelomic metaplasia hypothesis of endometriosis in MRKH cases
Endometriosis is defined as the localization of endometrial glandular and stromal tissue outside the uterine cavity and its incidence is approximately 10% in the general female population. Although the pathophysiological mechanism is not clearly understood, the implantation theory by Sampson…
Key Points Lay SummaryENDORECT scoring system to identify patients at risk for rectosigmoid endometriosis
Patients who suffer from endometriosis may benefit from a preoperative score that predicts rectosigmoid involvement. A recent paper published by Huchon et al. at Poissy Saint-Germain en Laye, France, recruited 119 women who underwent laparoscopy for endometriosis between 2011 and…
Key Points Lay SummaryNovel inhibitors of estrogen biosynthesis
Endometriosis is a chronic benign disease which is estrogen-dependent. Estradiol creates a positive feedback loop with the synthesis of pro-inflammatory mediators, which sustains further disease establishment and causes the pain symptoms. However, hormone therapies do not cure definitively endometriosis, because…
Key Points Lay SummaryAnother Genetic Polymorphism That May Increase Risk of Endo
A single letter change in the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) gene may significantly increase the risk of endometriosis. This is according to a study conducted among women in Southwest China and published in the journal Medicine. Identifying genetic risk…
Key Points Lay SummarySearching new biomarkers for endometriosis
This recent article published in Advances in Clinical Chemistry, is an overall summary of characteristics, physiopathological theories, diagnostic approaches and variety of biomarkers to diagnose endometriosis and penned by Coutinho et al. from Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Belo Horizonte,…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe association of significant hemoperitoneum (blood in the abdominal cavity) and deep pelvic endometriosis
Although there are several theories to explain the etiology of deep endometriosis, the cause is unknown and there are currently no effective strategies to prevent its development. Bean E. et al., from University College London Hospital, UK, observed that some…
Key Points Lay SummaryNon‑invasive biomarkers for endometriosis diagnosis
Endometriosis is a disease of women in reproductive age and its incidence varies between 5-10%. Since the diagnosis is based on the histological confirmation, there is an average of 7 to 11 years of delays in the diagnosis. Promising non-invasive…
Key Points Lay SummaryDoes Endometriosis Reduce Ovarian Reserve?
Markers of ovarian reserve are worse in infertile women with endometriosis compared to women who cannot conceive due to male factor infertility regardless of whether or not they have had ovarian surgery. This finding is important because it suggests that…
Key Points Lay SummaryFibrogenesis in endometriosis: The role of neuropeptides
Endometriosis is a debilitating gynaecologic disease affecting 6–10% of women of reproductive age. Endometriotic lesions are known to be hyperinnervated due to neurogenesis resulting from neutrophins secreted by endometriotic lesions and possibly platelets. These neutrophins seem to preferentially favor the…
Key Points Lay SummaryNew findings in adenomyosis (endometriosis interna) patients with potential theraupetic research implications
Xue Shen and associates from Beijing, China have published their observations related to cannabinoid receptors, i.e., CB1 and CB2, in patients with adenomyosis, recently in the journal "Biomed Research International". Adenomyosis is an estrogen-dependent uterine disorder where a nonmalignant invasion…
Key Points Lay SummaryPathophysiology of peritoneal endometriosis pain.
This article is an invited editorial by Ferrero S et.al. from IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy, published in the Annals of Translational Medicine. The authors describe the pathophysiology and underlying mechanisms of pain in peritoneal endometriosis with reference to the…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe genetic predisposition to endometriosis
Endometriosis is an estrogen-dependent gynecological disease mostly encountered in reproductive-aged women. Although endometrium is a non-malignant disease, its symptoms can range from mild to severe due to the inflammation that ectopic endometrial tissue forms around itself. The exact etiopathogenetic mechanism…
Key Points Lay SummaryAnti-angiogenic treatment for endometriosis
Endometriosis is a benign, estrogen-dependent gynecological disorder. The wide variety of surgical and medical treatment has been applied for treating endometriosis, but a definitive therapy has not been achieved so far. Thus, new therapeutic strategies need to be developed. Among…
Key Points Lay SummaryPlasma Energy for Ovarian Endometriomas
There are many different approaches used in the management of ovarian endometriomas such as stripping cystectomy, ablation, including electrical/thermal and CO2 laser ablation, fenestration/aspiration, and combined techniques. Plasma energy is a new promising treatment option for ovarian endometrioma and may be…
Key Points Lay SummaryProposed algorithm for a clinical diagnosis of endometriosis.
This recently published article in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology is about the challenge of diagnosing endometriosis, its impact on women's daily life and authored by Agarwal et al. from The University of California, San Diego, CA, USA. Authors called attention…
Key Points Lay SummaryAdenomyosis (endometriosis interna): an enigmatic disease that has to be discovered yet
Scientists, Drs. Vannuccini and Petraglia from Italy have published an open access comprehensive review of Adenomyosis in "F1000Research" in March 2019 issue. Adenomyosis is a uterine disorder in which endometrial glands and stroma are pathologically demonstrated within the myometrium, i.e.…
Key Points Lay SummaryReducing the Risk of Recurrence After Endometriosis Surgery
The use of compounds called NF-κB inhibitors and β-blockers before and after endometriosis surgery may reduce the risk of the disease recurring, according to a study conducted in a mouse model. According to the study published in the journal Reproductive…
Key Points Lay SummaryAntibiotic therapy for endometriosis
Current treatments for endometriosis are surgery and hormone therapy; however, these approaches may have significant side effects and do not prevent a recurrence. Therefore, alternative treatment modalities for endometriosis is needed. Recently, the idea that endometriosis may be influenced by…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe postoperative functional outcomes of deep infiltrating endometriosis
Rectosigmoid endometriosis is defined as the infiltration of the bowel wall with the endometrial-like glands and stroma, reaching at least the muscular layer. The most commonly involved sites are the rectum and sigmoid colon. For the management of deep infiltrating…
Key Points Lay SummaryA new trial to reduce the failure of IVF/ICS protocols in severe endometriosis
Kong et al., from the first affiliated hospital of Zhengzhou University, China, recently published this single-blinded, a multicentered and randomized controlled study in the Journal of Reproductive Health, with the aim to find a safer and more effective ovulation induction regimen for patients with…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis and nuclear receptors
It is well recognized that endometriosis is a steroid-dependent disorder. In endometrial stromal cells, progesterone regulates retinoic acid production and action. Retinoids also act via a number of nuclear receptors (NRs) and are involved in normal endometrial function and endometriosis. Estrogen…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe role of adhesion molecules, E-cadherin and hScrib, in endometriosis
Dr. Zhuo Ouyang and associates from the Capital Medical University, Beijing, China have recently published their research related to adhesion molecules in "Medicine (Baltimore)". Endometriosis is a “benign gynecological disease with some similarities to cancer”. Adhesion molecules E-cadherin and hScrib…
Key Points Lay SummaryBladder Endometriosis
Bladder endometriosis is rare – about 1-2% of women with endometriosis may have endometrial lesions in their urinary tract. Diagnosis of bladder endometriosis is difficult because of its nonspecific symptoms such as frequent urination, pelvic pain, and burning sensation when…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe coexistence deep infiltrating endometriosis and fibromyalgia
Endometriosis is defined as the localization of endometrial glandular and stromal cells outside the uterine cavity. The main symptoms of endometriosis which are dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, and chronic pelvic pain impair the quality of life of these women. This disease may…
Key Points Lay SummaryMRI-based "ENZIAN" scoring system and intra-operative endometriosis findings
Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory disease whereby endometrial-like glands grow and invade the extra-uterine structures. Endometriosis may affect various parts of the body, including the peritoneum, ovaries, or retroperitoneum. Recently, non-invasive methods for detecting these lesions have included trans-vaginal ultrasound…
Key Points Lay SummaryEpithelial Mutations in Endometriosis
A substantial body of epidemiologic evidence suggests a link between endometriosis and epithelial ovarian cancer, but a plausible underlying mechanism has remained elusive. Here, Dr. Bulun group from Northwestern University provide a focused review of the literature and discuss the…
Key Points Lay SummaryAntimullerian Hormone, endometrioma and ovarian reserve
Younis et al. from Baruch-Padeh Medical Center, Poriya, Israel, designed a review study on ovarian reserve alterations before and after endometrioma surgery that recently documented in "Human Reproduction Update". The authors examined the electronic databases of articles published between January…
Key Points Lay SummaryA highly sensitive Immunohistochemical Marker for Stromal Cells in endometriosis
Endometriosis is diagnosed histopathologically by the presence of endometrium-like tissues outside the uterus. Positive CD10 immunohistochemistry, highlighting stromal cells of the endometrium, is a useful adjunct for pathologists in the tissue diagnosis. However, CD10 expression is not specific to endometrial stromal…
Key Points Lay SummaryOvarian stimulation regimes: Concerns on progression or recurrence of endometriosis
Somigliana et al., from the University of Milan, Italy, performed a literature review to predict the endometriosis-enhancing effect of ART regimes on infertile women and reported their results in Reproductive Biomedicine Online. Their points of interest were increasing dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, non-menstrual pain and…
Key Points Lay SummaryImpact of Menstrual Symptoms on Everyday Life
Menstrual symptoms, including heavy menstrual bleeding, dysmenorrhea, and significant perimenstrual mood disorders, are common gynecological conditions. About 30% of women consider their menstrual bleeding heavy, and 34–94% of women experience pain during their menstrual period. Menstrual symptoms have a significant…
Key Points Lay SummaryPreoperative factors to predict unresponsiveness in women undergoing endometriosis surgery
Endometriosis is defined as the localization of endometrial glandular and stromal cells outside the uterine cavity. Despite extensive research, the optimal management of endometriosis still remains unclear. Several treatment options include analgesic medication, hormonal treatments, and surgical intervention. There is…
Key Points Lay SummaryBreast cancer incidence in women with endometriosis
The relationship between endometriosis and breast cancer remains unclear. Some studies have shown an increased risk of breast cancer among women with endometriosis, while others suggested no change in the risk of breast cancer. Previously, the authors have found that…
Key Points Lay SummaryImpact of Endometriosis-Related Adhesions on Quality of Life among Infertile Women
Endometriosis is considered the most common cause of pelvic adhesions in women. It is considered one of the main underlying causes of the development of adhesions. Adhesions are bands of connective tissue, which connect two different tissues that are normally…
Key Points Lay SummaryMenstrual blood-derived stem cells
Chen et al. from the Center of Diagnosis and Treatment of İnfectious Disease, Zhejiang University, China penned this recent review in the Journal of Stem Cell Research Therapy which is presenting the clinical potential of MenSCs (Menstrual blood-derived stem cells). …
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis involving the superficial peritoneum in Adolescents: Surgical Management
Endometriosis is a chronic disease whereby endometrial glands and stroma grow and survive outside of the uterus. In some cases, endometriosis may become symptomatic and cause debilitating, chronic pelvic pain. Among pelvic organ and other surfaces that endometriosis can involve…
Key Points Lay SummaryPolymorphisms of STAT4 gene in the pathogenesis of endometriosis
Endometriosis is one of the most common gynecological diseases in reproductive-age women characterized by the occurrence of endometrial tissue outside the uterine cavity. Researchers have put forward numerous hypotheses to explain ectopic endometrial tissue, and the bulk of the evidence…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe appearance of postoperative endometriosis by imaging methods
Endometriosis is a chronic gynecological disease mostly encountered in reproductive-aged women. Endometriosis can occur in three different entities: peritoneal, ovarian and deep endometriosis. Golden standard diagnosis is made by histopathological examination of surgical material after laparoscopic surgery in women with…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis and infertility: current concepts
Hungarian and US scientists have published a comprehensive review on infertility related to endometriosis in Frontiers in Endocrinology, November 2018 issue. Endometriosis is a common entity in women of reproductive age which often leads to infertility. Compiled research data reveal…
Key Points Lay SummaryGal-3 can be a pharmacological target in endometriosis treatment
Galectins are known to play a significant role in angiogenesis, which is a key event contributing to the development of many disease conditions, one of which is endometriosis. Past studies, upon examining several human endometriotic lesions, showed that Galectin-3 (Gal-3)…
Key Points Lay SummaryEstrogen Receptor Signaling and Endometriosis-Associated Ovarian Cancer
Andersen et al. published a prospective cohort study in the Journal of Hormones and Cancer to enlighten the estrogen signaling pathway during the transition from endometriosis to endometriosis-associated ovarian cancer. Given the shared pathway of endometriosis and ovarian cancer as…
Key Points Lay SummaryImmunologic Disorder in the Progression of Endometriosis
Endometriosis becomes increasingly a health-social problem. However, definite diagnostic biomarkers and more effective treatments for endometriosis are still missing to this day. Many researchers focus on the peritoneal microenvironment of patients with endometriosis, especially the immunological microenvironment. Recently, Jørgensen et…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe duration of impairment of ovarian reserve after laparoscopic surgery
Endometriosis is a chronic medical condition characterized by ectopic endometrial tissue that grows and invades extra-uterine tissues. It is a significant contributor to chronic pelvic pain in women of reproductive age. Endometriosis involving the ovaries and causing a cystic growth…
Key Points Lay SummaryA link between endometrioid ovarian carcinoma and endometriosis.
Ciavattini et al.from Polytechnic University Ancona, Italy create a pilot study which recently published in Oncology Letters to clarify the link between endometriosis and endometrioid ovarian cancer. The unfolded protein response (UPR) activity as a promoter of neoplastic progression of malignancies is…
Key Points Lay SummaryWhich comes first in endometriosis management: In vitro fertilization or surgery?
Endometriosis is defined as the localization of endometrial glandular and stromal tissue outside the uterine cavity. The prevalence is found to be 7%–10%, but among infertile women, it increases up to 50%. Early diagnosis and personalized management are important to…
Key Points Lay SummarySelf-management of endometriosis symptoms: from Australia
Effective self-management techniques and lifestyle changes may play an important role in the management of endometriosis symptoms by many women. Due to various reasons such as limited effectiveness of some medications, potential side effects, availability of medical resources, self-desire to…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometrioma, Fertility, and Assisted Reproduction
Endometriosis can negatively impact a woman’s health and quality of life. Surgery has been considered the primary treatment to overcome infertility in cases of ovarian endometrioma. Patients struggling with endometriosis often pursue assisted reproductive technologies (ART) due to fertility issues.…
Key Points Lay SummaryExtra-ovarian malignancies risk among women with endometriosis
For some time, an association between endometriosis and subsequent cancer risk have been reported. In particular, scientific evidence has shown that endometriosis is linked with risk of certain ovarian cancer subtypes known as clear cell and endometrioid. Since endometriosis is…
Key Points Lay SummaryBuilding an ultrasonographic database for superficial endometriosis.
Chowdary et al. from University of Auckland, Australia, recently published a retrospective, small group study in Australian New Zeland Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, to demonstrate ultrasonographic findings of mild endometriosis patients with pelvic pain are associated with their laparoscopic diagnosis.…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe association between the development of endometriosis and dietary habits
Endometriosis is a chronic disease defined as the localization of endometrial glandular and stromal tissue outside the uterine cavity. The prevalence is found to be approximately 10% in the general population. Endometriosis is associated with infertility, pelvic pain, and increased…
Key Points Lay SummaryAdditional research in understanding the causative link between Notch signaling and endometriosis
Dustin M. Brown and associates from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences published their unique complex molecular research in the Journal of the Endocrine Society. This study group previously showed that decreased expression of the progesterone receptor (PGR) resulted from…
Key Points Lay SummaryWomen with Persistent Pelvic Pain Have a Lower Pain Threshold
Women with persistent pelvic pain, whether this is caused by endometriosis or other reason, have a significantly reduced pain threshold compared to women without persistent pelvic pain. This is according to a study by researchers in Sweden, which was published…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis and female pelvic pain in all aspects
Endometriosis is defined as the localization of endometrial glandular and stromal tissue outside the uterine cavity. The prevalence of the disease ranges between 6-10% in reproductive-aged women. However, endometriosis is more frequently encountered in women with chronic pelvic pain and…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe relationship between periodontal disease and endometriosis
Thomas et al. have recently studied the association between endometriosis and periodontal disease which may share a common pathogenesis, and have published it in the Journal of Human Reproductive Sciences. The authors screened a total of50 women; 25 with and 25…
Key Points Lay SummaryClonal Proliferation and Cancer Associated Mutations in normal uterine endometrium and endometriosis
Suda et. al., from Niigata University, Japan, has published the article entitled "Clonal Expansion and Diversification of Cancer-Associated Mutations in Endometriosis and Normal Endometrium" in Cell Reports. There are many theories for endometriosis development (retrograde menstruation, coelomic metaplasia, Müllerian remnants),…
Key Points Lay SummaryVaginal Sexual Intercourse during Menstruation
Mazokopakis and Samonis from Greece examined and discussed the vaginal sexual intercourse during menstruation from a biblical as well as a modern medical point of view in their paper published in MAEDICA – a Journal of Clinical Medicine in September 2018.…
Key Points Lay SummaryHOXA-10 levels are related to infertility in endometriosis patients
The current study by Ozcan et al., published in the European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology aimed to investigate the levels of HOXA-10 gene in fertile versus infertile women with endometriosis. HOXA-10 protein (expressed by HOXA-10 gene)…
Key Points Lay SummarySomatic mutations in iatrogenic endometriosis.
Lac and al., from the Department of Molecular Oncology in BC Cancer Research Center, Vancouver, Canada, planned a retrospective and multinational research to investigate the prevalence of somatic cancer-driver mutations in incisional endometriosis and recently published in the "Journal of Human Reproduction". Their…
Key Points Lay SummarySurgical techniques for rectosigmoid endometriosis, and functional outcomes
Rectosigmoid endometriosis is defined as the infiltration of bowel wall with the endometrial-like glands and stroma, reaching at least the muscular layer. Rectosigmoid endometriosis is encountered in approximately 8-12% of patients with a diagnosis of endometriosis. The most commonly involved…
Key Points Lay SummaryNew scientific evidence supporting robotic surgical approach to ureteric endometriosis
Surgical treatment of ureteral endometriosis aims to relieve urinary obstruction besides preserving renal functions. In accomplishing these, the best method of surgical approach is still unclear. Andrea Giannini and her colleagues from the University of Pisa, Italy conducted a retrospective…
Key Points Lay SummaryConservative Surgery May Be Sufficient to Halt the Development of Deep Endometriosis
Deep endometriosis develops as a result of collective cell migration and nerve recruitment from surrounding organs, suggests a study published in the scientific journal Fertility and Sterility. Collective cell migration is the biological process whereby a group of cells moves…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe association of endometriosis and peritoneal malignant mesothelioma
Endometriosis is well known to cause chronic inflammation of the serosa and incite mesothelial hyperplasia. Although multilocular peritoneal inclusion cysts and well-differentiated papillary mesothelioma were reported to be associated with endometriosis, the association of malignant mesothelioma has not been reported…
Key Points Lay SummaryIs the mystery for progression of endometriosis hiding out in abnormally located endometrial cells?
This prospective study was conducted by Hapangama et al. in Research İnstute of the University of Liverpool, UK, and the results have recently published in the Journal of Human Reproduction. The authors hypothesized that abnormally located endometrial basalis-like (SSEA1/nSOX9+)cells could be contributing to…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe role of circulating microRNA's in Endometriosis
Endometriosis is an estrogen-dependent disorder. This disease affects approximately 10% of reproductive-aged women and 20% to 50% of infertile women. Steroidogenic factor 1 (SF-1) is an essential transcriptional regulator coordinately regulating multiple genes involved in estrogen biosynthesis. SF-1 is known…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis-associated pain control by contraceptive implant or intrauterine system
Endometriosis is defined as the localization of endometrial glandular and stromal cells outside the uterine cavity. The most common symptoms are dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, and chronic pelvic pain, all of which affect the quality of women’s lives. Several studies investigating the…
Key Points Lay SummaryFactors related to delay in endometriosis diagnosis
Dr. Moniek van der Zanden, a gynecologist from Netherlands has recently made a nationwide survey on the impact of key recommendations of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) guidelines on endometriosis and aimed to assess factors influencing diagnostic delay of…
Key Points Lay SummaryDoes the presence of endometriosis increase the risk of gynecologic malignancies?
Endometriosis shares common risk factors with endometrial carcinoma and ovarian carcinomas such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, hyperestrogenism, and reproductive characteristics. Endometriosis is also known to be a risk factor for gynecologic malignant tumors. In this study, Li et.al. have…
Key Points Lay SummaryExtragenital endometriosis and ultrasound
Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) is a non-invasive imaging method with no exposure to radiation. There are a few reports on the use of CEUS in the assessment of endometriosis in the literature. Dong et al. reported 3 histopathologically proven cases of…
Key Points Lay SummaryLipophilic Statins inhibit growth and invasiveness of human endometrial cells
Endometriosis is a disease process whereby cells of the endometrium grow and invade structures outside of the uterus. Through recent research, it has been seen that endometriotic foci in women with endometriosis exhibit an altered phenotype that contributes to its…
Key Points Lay SummaryCan we Inhibit the Survival of Endometriosis?
Endometriosis is an estrogen-dependent gynecological inflammatory disease. The current anti-estrogen therapies can be prescribed only for a short time due to the undesirable side effects on menstruation, pregnancy, bone health, and recurrence. Therefore, the development of specific therapy which targets…
Key Points Lay SummaryPelvic pain, congenital genital tract anomalies and endometriosis
Any failure during development and differentiation of female genital tract results in congenital tract anomalies. The origin of the hymen is the union of the caudal portion of the paramesonephric ducts and the urogenital sinus. It functions as a mechanical…
Key Points Lay SummaryWhat clinicians know about adenomyosis? Any association with severe endometriosis?
Dior et al. from the Royal Women's Hospital in Parkville, Australia, designed a prospective study to assess the association between severity of endometriosis and sonographic evidence of adenomyosis (SEOA) in their recently published article appearing in The Journal of Minimally…
Key Points Lay SummaryPresumed molecular mechanisms for herbal medicinal therapies in endometriosis
Pharmaceutical agents for the management of endometriosis are associated with side effects and are not completely effective. In regard to this, Bina and associates from Tehran University of Medical Sciences have reviewed extensively the literature for herbal remedies. Herbal medicinal products…
Key Points Lay SummaryLaparoscopic mesenteric vascular and nerve sparing surgery as a tool for DIE resection
Endometriosis can be characterized by a wide range of clinical aggressiveness based upon the location, character, and growth of ectopic endometrial implants. As one of the most aggressive forms of endometriosis, deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) is known to involve the…
Key Points Lay SummaryAre women with histologically confirmed endometriosis satisfied with their medical support?
Endometriosis is defined as the localization of endometrial glandular and stromal cells outside the uterine cavity. The most common symptoms are dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, chronic pelvic pain, dyschesia, dysuria, musculoskeletal pain, fatigue and infertility, all of which affect the quality of…
Key Points Lay SummaryAnti-proliferative and anti-inflammatory effects of "Quercetin" on endometriosis
Quercetin is a major flavonol that is mainly derived from capers and involves a daily consumption of approximately 25–50 mg through various vegetables. In recent studies, Quercetin is reported as a functional compound in obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. This compound…
Key Points Lay SummaryNot True That Women With Endometriosis Can’t Conceive
The common assertion that women with endometriosis are unlikely to conceive is countered by a new study published in The European Journal of Contraception & Reproductive Health Care. This finding supports the need for healthcare and information to address all…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe use of Elagolix in Women with Liver and Kidney Impairments
Elagolix may be used in women with moderate liver impairment, when necessary, for up to six months at a dose of 150 mg a day, according to a study published in the scientific journal Clinical Pharmacology in Drug Development. The…
Key Points Lay SummaryProgesterone Receptor Status in Endometriosis
Some patients do not respond to progesterone hormone therapy. In this study recently published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, the authors led by Hugh S. Taylor from the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences from Yale…
Key Points Lay SummaryProgrammed-cell death pathway and immune dysfunction in endometriosis
Endometriosis is an estrogen-dependent, immune-associated disease. Women with endometriosis have different proportions of the activated forms of immunocompetent cells, such as T cells and macrophages compared to those from women without. Immune cell dysfunction in the uterine and abdominal cavity…
Key Points Lay SummaryDrugs targeting estrogen biosynthesis opening up new approaches to the treatment of endometriosis.
Gibson et al., from the Univerity of Edinburgh, UK, take over a new interest about endometriosis occurrence and progress by endometrial tissue intracrinology in their recently online published article in International Journal of Molecular Sciences. The authors summarize the last…
Key Points Lay SummaryHow to predict natural conception in women underwent endometriosis surgery?
Endometriosis is defined as the localization of endometrial glandular and stromal cells outside the uterine cavity. The most common symptoms are dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, chronic pelvic pain, and infertility. The prevalence of endometriosis increases in the infertile population. Thus, the important…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe pain and its severity in deeply infiltrating endometriosis patients
Liang et al. from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, China, recently published an interesting paper in the Journal of Pain Research, a prospective study to reveal the relationship between neurogenesis and other potential…
Key Points Lay SummaryDoes ovarian endometrioma damage the ovarian reserve?
Ovarian endometriomas are commonly present in 17% to 44% of women with endometriosis and are often associated with infertility and pelvic pain. There are several treatment options including surgical treatment. Cyst excision is associated with better results in terms of…
Key Points Lay SummaryFour cases of endometrioid borderline ovarian tumour: case reports and literature review
Physicians from Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan, report four cases of ovarian EBTs and a review literature in a recently published manuscript at British Medical Journal, case reports. Endometrioid borderline tumors (EBTs) of the ovary are uncommon…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe diagnosis and management of endometriosis in Korea
The Korean Society of Endometriosis has scrutinized the present published literature of endometriosis in the domestic and international platform to provide new guidelines and the clinical management of the disease. The study was recently published in the journal "Obstetrics and Gynecology…
Key Points Lay SummaryA novel neurotransmitter, Ninj1, has been found to be expressed in endometriosis
Chronic inflammation is involved in the pathogenesis of endometriosis and adenomyosis, and inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1b are highly expressed in them. Inflammation and subsequent hyperinnervation are involved in the pathophysiology of pain generation. High levels of expression of various…
Key Points Lay SummaryCan MRI be used to detect anterior pelvic endometriotic lesions?
Deep infiltrating endometriosis is the most severe manifestation of endometriosis. It is defined as the infiltration of ectopic endometrial tissue under the peritoneum, pelvic structures, and the organ walls such as the uterosacral ligaments, colon, vagina, bladder, ureter, rectovaginal septum,…
Key Points Lay SummaryProgrammed cell death 4 suppresses endometriosis by inhibiting autophagy and NF-κB/MMP2/MMP9 signal pathway
Endometriosis is a kind of benign disease but shares many similar features with cancers, such as abnormal cell migration, invasion, and unrestrained growth. It has been known that some genes are expressed differentially in eutopic endometrium of EM patients compared…
Key Points Lay SummaryAnatomic distribution of endometriosis
In the study of Audebert et al. which has been published in the journal European Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the anatomic distribution of endometriosis, the rate of deep infiltrating endometriosis during the various study periods, laterality of endometriosis, pelvic…
Key Points Lay SummaryHow Ovarian Endometriomas and DIE affect ART outcomes
Previous studies have evaluated the impact of an ovarian endometrioma on ovarian reserve and its impact on the success of assisted reproductive technology (ART) outcomes have controversial results. ART is a method by which a woman’s own hormones are used…
Key Points Lay SummaryMaternal and fetal outcomes in women with endometriosis : A review and meta-analysis
Lalani et al from Dept. of Obstet. and Gynecol. , University of Ottowa, Canada, recently published this systemic review and meta-analysis of observational studies in the Journal of Human Reproduction, aimed to present the difference in the maternal and fetal…
Key Points Lay SummaryCould Endometriosis-Related Infertility Be Genetic?
Researchers identified genetic polymorphisms or individual differences in two genes called AMA5 and KAZN among women with endometriosis who were infertile and control women who were fertile. The identification of these polymorphisms could help scientists better understand why some women…
Key Points Lay SummaryNon-assisted reproductive technology treatment: Is it effective in infertile patients with advanced endometriosis?
The marriage and childbearing ages delay due to the life-style changes in developed countries. As a result, advanced age becomes a major concern in infertility treatments which consist of non-ART and ART modalities. Non-ART treatments include mild ovarian stimulation together…
Key Points Lay SummaryPROPOFOL: a new combat for endometriosis?
Feng et al, from the Department of Gynecology Weifang Medical University Hospital, Shandong, China, recently published their prospective experimental research in the journal Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine. Propofol, a rapid and short-term anesthetic substance, recently has been shown to prevent cancer through inhibiting…
Key Points Lay SummaryParametrial endometriosis: A harder form of endometriosis
Deep infiltrating endometriosis is the most severe manifestation of endometriosis, affecting 20% of all patients with endometriosis. It is defined as the infiltration of ectopic endometrial tissue under the peritoneum, pelvic structures, and the organ walls such as the uterosacral…
Key Points Lay SummaryQuality of life for women with endometriosis
Endometriosis symptoms may cause difficulties in daily activities and social life, altering general health and personal relationships and severely decrease the quality of life. Yoldemir T. evaluates the factors affecting the quality of life in endometriosis patients and the management strategies in…
Key Points Lay SummaryVitamin D and Endometriosis
Scientists from Milan, Italy reviewed the effects of vitamin D on the reproductive health, and in particular "endometriosis" in their article which appeared in International Journal of Molecular Sciences. Vitamin D (VD), is a steroid hormone that is activated in…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis involvement of the pouch of Douglas: TVUS vs pelvic exam
Deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) can lead to a partial or complete obliteration of the pouch of Douglas (POD). POD involvement has been associated with dyschezia, deep dyspareunia, and increased infertility rates. Assessing the extent of endometriosis involvement of the cul-de-sac allows…
Key Points Lay SummaryWill I Have Complications After Endometriosis Surgery?
The rate of complications after surgery to treat deep infiltrating endometriosis is low, confirmed a study by researchers in Germany. It is important to know whether major or minor complications following surgery are likely to develop and what the outcome…
Key Points Lay SummaryLaparoscopic surgery of endometriosis through three compartments
This case study which is published in the J. of Minimally İnvasive Gynecology is the video demonstration of Collin et al who performed the laparoscopic operation of their patient in Gynecologic Surgery Department of Strasburg Hospital University, France. 37 years old…
Key Points Lay SummaryHow to preserve fertility in women with “ovarian endometriosis”?
Although there are many treatment modalities in endometriosis, optimal treatment has not been developed yet. The aim of the treatment is to reduce pain, to preserve and improve fertility and to delay recurrence. Ovarian ischemic and perfusion damage during endometriosis…
Key Points Lay SummaryKidney Hormone Potential Treatment for Endometriosis?
Erythropoietin, a hormone produced by the kidneys to promote the production of red blood cells could be a promising candidate for the treatment of endometriosis. This is according to a study published in the Journal Of The Turkish-German Gynecological Association by…
Key Points Lay SummaryMTA1 as a predictor for the progression of endometriosis.
Jing Zhang et al. from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Affiliated Haikou Hospital, Xiangya Medical College of Central South University, Hainan, China, published their article in the open access medical journal "Medicine". Their aim was to evaluate the relationship between…
Key Points Lay SummaryBRAF: A Key Suspect in the Endometriosis Mystery
LV et al., a group of researchers from China, recently published a study titled “Analysis of the oncogene BRAF mutation and the correlation of the expression of wild-type BRAF and CREB1 in endometriosis” in the International Journal of Molecular Medicine.…
Key Points Lay SummaryA rare location of endometriosis: Perineum
A rare case of perineal endometriosis is reported by Dr. Ravikant, from India, and has been recently published in the "Journal of Medical Ultrasound". The patient, a 28-year-old woman with one living child, presented with a 6-month history of a…
Key Points Lay SummaryShedding light on the fertility preservation debate in women with endometriosis: a swot analysis.
There is little known about fertility preservation in women with endometriosis. Researchers from France and Switzerland conducted a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis to better understand this topic. Applied to clinical problems, SWOT gives a thorough analysis of…
Key Points Lay SummaryFighting with endometriosis
Maduro M.R. reviewed three separate studies on potential new targets to successfully manage endometriosis in her recent paper titled “Novel Strategies to Fight Endometriosis” published in the journal Reproductive Sciences. In the autotransplantation rat model of Torres-Reveron et al., the…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis Surgery Reduces Pain and Improves Quality of Life
Endometriosis surgery improves pelvic and sexual pain according to a study published in the Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology. This improvement stays stable over time meaning that the benefits of surgery last for years. In order to assess the effect…
Key Points Lay SummaryCosmetics and some household products could be responsible for worsening endometriosis.
A controlled clinical study recently published in the Journal of Human Reproductive Sciences, composed by Nazir et al. from the University of Health Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan. The study compared the blood diethyl hexyl phthalate (DEHP) levels of fifty infertile women laparoscopically diagnosed…
Key Points Lay SummaryTransvaginal ultrasound for "rectosigmoid endometriosis" diagnosis: Is bowel preparation necessary?
Rectosigmoid endometriosis is a severe form of deep endometriosis. Women having rectosigmoid endometriosis present with pain and several intestinal complains such as constipation, diarrhea, intestinal cramping, abdominal bloating, feeling of incomplete evacuation, the passage of mucus and rectal bleeding during…
Key Points Lay SummaryToxic Pelvic Cavity and Infertility
Endometriosis is a disease defined by the presence of endometrial tissue outside of the uterine cavity and has an incidence of approximately 10% in women of reproductive age. Thus, it is an important consideration in chronic pelvic pain and infertility…
Key Points Lay SummaryReduced pain and increased fertiliy rates after surgery for colorectal endometriosis
This prospective cohort study which recently published in AOGS by Hudelist et al. from Oslo University, Norway is about their one hundred thirty-four laparoscopic operations of DIE cases performed between 2011 and 2016, in a tertiary center in Oslo. The…
Key Points Lay SummaryIVF Is the Best Option to Become Pregnant for Women with Severe Endometriosis, or Is It Not?
Treating rectal endometriosis with surgery seems to increase the chance of a woman conceiving, with most pregnancies occurring naturally. This is according to a study published in the medical journal Human Reproduction. The optimal treatment for women with severe endometriosis…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometrioma and endometriosis
Exacoustos C. et al. published an article titled “The isolated ovarian endometrioma: a history between myth and reality” in the Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology in 2018. They aimed to examine the association between ovarian endometriomas detectable at the transvaginal ultrasound…
Key Points Lay SummaryHow to evaluate ureteral endometriosis : A review of the literature
In this recently published review of the literature, Barra et al. from Genova, Italy intend to provide a useful tool to guide physicians in the management of deep infiltrating endometriosis. Authors elected 67 abstracts from Pubmed and Medline in accordance with PRISMA…
Key Points Lay SummaryMolecular Susceptibility to Endometriosis
Fayez et al., a group of researchers from various institutions in Iran, recently published a paper in the Avicenna Journal of Medical Biotechnology titled “Arylamine N-acetyltransferase 2 Polymorphisms and the Risk of Endometriosis.” This study focused on the relationship between…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis in adolescents
Dr. Mama S. T. from Cooper University Hospital, Camden, New Jersey, USA, recently has published his review on advances in the management of endometriosis in the adolescent in the journal “Current Opinion Obstetrics and Gynecology”. In adolescence, there is a…
Key Points Lay SummaryA Better Way to Diagnose Endometriosis?
Three proteins found in the blood and endometrial tissues could be used to determine the stage of endometriosis and the severity of painful periods according to a study published in the journal Current Medical Science. Evaluating the levels of these…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis as a chronic disease: The benefits for the patients
Rebecca O'Hara et al. from Monash University, Melbourne, Australia, recently published their qualitative case study in the Journal "Australian Health Review", to build a National Policy about endometriosis considering as a chronic disease. In Australia, long-term complex diseases are managed…
Key Points Lay SummaryHow are endometriosis patients managed clinically?
This review paper by Falcone and Flyckt, entitled “Clinical Management of Endometriosis” published in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology aims to summarize the current strategies for treating endometriosis patients with pain, pelvic dysfunction, and subfertility related to their disease. There are many…
Key Points Lay SummaryShould I Have Surgery Before Trying to Conceive?
The presence of rectouterine nodules is associated with a lower chance of becoming pregnant with in vitro fertilization (IVF), according to a study published in the Journal of Gynecology Obstetrics and Human Reproduction. This finding is important as it can…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe vaginal delivery rate of singleton term pregnancies still remains the same after total deep infiltrating endometrosis excisions
This recently published report in the Journal of Fertility Sterility is planned as a matched case-control study, by Nirgianakanis et al. from the University of Bern, Switzerland. Authors claimed their study is the first because previous studies on pregnancy outcome after laparoscopic…
Key Points Lay SummaryPrior endometriosis surgery and the risk of pregnancy complications
Koninckx et al. discussed the association of pregnancy complications with endometriosis and endometriosis surgery in their recently published paper in the journal Fertility and Sterility. They especially mentioned about the retrospective study of Nirgianakis et al. published in the same…
Key Points Lay SummaryVitamin C supplementation in the patients with endometriosis undergoing in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer
Endometriosis is defined as the localization of endometrial stromal and glandular cells outside the uterine cavity. Women having endometriosis present with dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, chronic pelvic pain, and infertility. Thus, infertility remains a significant problem for women with endometriosis. Endometriosis is…
Key Points Lay SummaryComplementary treatments for endometriosis symptoms: acupuncture, exercise, electrotherapy, or yoga?
Endometriosis is associated with debilitating symptoms in some women including dysmenorrhea, chronic pelvic pain, deep dyspareunia, dyschezia, and dysuria. There are a few therapeutic options to treat these symptoms; however, only a few studies have considered treating the pain symptoms…
Key Points Lay SummaryGnRH Analogues Not Beneficial For Superovulation and Intrauterine Insemination
Bansal et al, a group of authors from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, recently published a paper titled “The Role of GnRH Analogues in Improving Outcome in Women Undergoing Superovulation and Intrauterine Insemination after Surgical Correction of Mild…
Key Points Lay SummaryCoumarin based compounds found to inhibit the estradiol synthesis pathway
Endometriosis is a disease characterized by ectopic endometrial tissue outside the endometrium. Several biochemical and molecular pathways have been researched and used to alleviate endometriosis symptoms by inhibiting key molecules involved in the menstrual cycle. This review paper by Niinivehmas…
Key Points Lay SummaryComparing opioid and nonopioid therapy for chronic pain
Over the last few decades, North-America and Europe show continued increase in prescription rates of opioids. Evidence shows significant pain reduction with opioids in the short term compared to placebo, however whether opioids are superior to non-opioids even in the…
Key Points Lay SummaryFluorescence Guided Surgery: a New Technique to Treat Deep Infiltrating Endometriosis
Fluorescence-guided surgery could help differentiate recto-vaginal deep infiltrating endometriosis nodules (RVDIEN) from healthy rectal tissue and remove them successfully without perforating the rectum, according to a study published in the scientific journal Surgical Innovation. The method could offer a better,…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe role of peritoneal washings in the diagnosis of endometriosis
Endometriosis is a common entity seen in the gynecologic tract and pelvic surfaces. It may be frequently asymptomatic and/or undiagnosed at the time of gynecologic surgery. Pathologists diagnose endometriosis based on the presence of at least two of the following elements: endometrial glands,…
Key Points Lay SummaryHow to improve the current ASRM classification of endometriosis?
In this article which recently published in Best Practice&Research Clinical Obst&Gyn. from the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, Andres et al. penned a review of the classification of endometriosis in chronological order, and discussed the limitations of existing classification systems to…
Key Points Lay SummaryCARD10 and CARD11 Mutations: Another Piece of the Puzzle
Zou et al., a research group from China, recently published a study titled “Analysis of CARD10 and CARD11 somatic mutations in patients with ovarian endometriosis” in Oncology Letters. The paper looked at the effects of caspase recruitment domain family member…
Key Points Lay SummaryOxidative Stress and Endometriosis
Endometriosis is a disease characterized by ectopic endometrial tissue outside the endometrium and is associated with a background of a chronic inflammation. Recent studies have aimed to elucidate the inflammatory mediators involved in endometriotic lesions by studying immune cell interactions,…
Key Points Lay SummaryCan we predict the complexity of laparoscopic surgery by ultrasound?
This is a multicentric, retrospective cohort study recently published in the Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology by Tompsett et al. in which the results of the transvaginal ultrasonographic examinations (TVS) are compared to the results of the laparoscopic operations performed…
Key Points Lay SummaryCould the Sleep Hormone Treat Endometriosis?
Melatonin blocks cell proliferation, invasion, and migration in both normal and endometriotic epithelial cells, according to a study published in the scientific journal Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology. Melatonin could, therefore, be a potential treatment for endometriosis The formation and progression…
Key Points Lay SummaryHealth-related quality of life in women with Endometriosis and Rheumatoid Arthritis
Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory disease that is defined by the presence of ectopic endometrial tissue outside of the uterus. Unfortunately, endometriosis continues to be a leading cause of chronic pelvic pain and long-term morbidity in women of reproductive age.…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis Development: Pathogenesis and genomics
In this review recently published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, Baranow et al from Saint Petersburg, Russia, hypothesize the existence of an endometriosis development genetic program (EMDP) that governs the origin of endometrium stem cells programmed for endometriosis; their transition…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe association between endometriosis, adenomyosis and preterm delivery
Endometriosis and adenomyosis are diseases of the same spectrum which have common features and coexist in some but not all patients. Both diseases are characterized by endometrial implants outside of the uterine cavity. Endometriosis is defined as the localization of…
Key Points Lay SummaryPolymorphism of IL12B May Help Solve Endometriosis
Zhao et al. recently published a paper titled “A functional promoter polymorphism in interleukin 12B gene is associated with an increased risk of ovarian endometriosis” in Gene. The research group from Hebei Medical University wanted to explore the potential roles…
Key Points Lay SummaryDetecting endometriosis using peripheral blood
Laparoscopic visualization of endometriotic lesions with histological confirmation is the gold standard for the diagnosis of endometriosis. However, this diagnostic procedure, due to the need for laparoscopy and variability of disease/symptoms, can have a major delay up to 8-10 years…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe pathogenesis of endometriosis : New discoveries with clinical impact
In this recent review article that appeared in Current Women’s Health Reviews, compiled by researchers from the Department of Molecular Cell Biology and Human Genetics, Institute of Cell Biology and Neuroscience Frankfurt, Germany the following important points in regard to the molecular and cellular pathogenesis of…
Key Points Lay SummaryA Doctor's Guide to Making Endometriosis Less Scary
Canis, Bourdel, and Chauvet, doctors from CHU Estaing, recently published an article titled “Endometriosis: frightening the patients is not an acceptable alternative to inadequate surgical management and or pathophysiology ignorance” in Fertility and Sterility. Their paper delineated proper health practices…
Key Points Lay SummaryPain catastrophizing, perceived injustice, and pain intensity impair life satisfaction
Cognitive appraisals have been shown to have an effect on the experience of pain. Notably, perceived injustice and pain catastrophizing have been shown to play a role, but are rarely examined together. In addition, variability in appraisal processes has been…
Key Points Lay SummaryPersonalised Medicine for Endometriosis?
The lining of the uterus of women with endometriosis is different from that of women without the disease even if they have chronic pelvic pain found a study published in the scientific journal Biology of Reproduction. The difference is found…
Key Points Lay SummaryAlternative Solutions: Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation for Endometriosis Pain
Bi and Xie, researchers from The Yan’an People’s Hospital, recently published the results of their retrospective study titled “Effect of neuromuscular electrical stimulation for endometriosis-associated pain” in Medicine. The study hoped to elucidate the effects of using a complementary and…
Key Points Lay SummaryEpigenetic link between endometriosis and cancer
Although endometriosis is considered a benign condition the cellular, histologic, and molecular data strongly demonstrate that endometriosis has neoplastic characteristics. There is strong evidence that endometriosis shares striking features with malignancy like normal tissue dissemination, invasion, and organ damage, as well as new vessel formation (neoangiogenesis). In…
Key Points Lay SummaryIs there a definitive guideline for the surgical management of endometriosis?
Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory disease that is defined by the presence of ectopic endometrial tissue outside of the uterus. Unfortunately, endometriosis continues to be a leading cause of chronic pelvic pain in women of reproductive age. This article titled,…
Key Points Lay SummaryPredictors of psychological distress
Studies have now established that endometriosis can negatively impact mental health and quality of life, however, some studies show that not all women with endometriosis are necessarily more distressed than healthy women. This suggests that individual differences may explain women’s’…
Key Points Lay SummaryKey to Understanding Ovarian Endometriosis may lay in the Peptides
Xue et al. recently published a paper titled “Peptidomic Analysis of Endometrial Tissue from Patients with Ovarian Endometriosis” in Cellular Physiology and Biochemistry. The research group from various departments of Nanjing Medical University wished to better understand the pathogenesis of…
Key Points Lay SummaryOral Contraceptives and Low-Cost Progestins to Reduce Endometriosis-Associated Pain
Most women with endometriosis-associated pain did not feel the need to use expensive progestin or undergo surgery. Instead, they were satisfied with a low-cost progestin to treat their symptoms. This is according to a study published in the journal Fertility…
Key Points Lay SummaryWhat is being done to help surgeons detect endometriosis during laparoscopy
The gold standard for the diagnosis of endometriosis is diagnostic laparoscopy and histologic confirmation. During laparoscopy, visualization of as many lesions as possible may hold better long-term clinical outcomes. Peritoneal endometriosis is difficult to diagnose intraoperatively due to the heterogeneity…
Key Points Lay SummaryLink Between Type of Endometriosis and Cancer
The type of endometriosis a woman has could determine her risk of gynecologic cancer, according to a study published in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology. This is important because it means that those women who are at a higher risk…
Key Points Lay SummaryCatching Endometriosis Early
Li et al., a group primarily from Sun Yat-sen University in the People’s Republic of China, recently published an article titled “Endometrium metabolomic profiling reveals potential biomarkers for diagnosis of endometriosis at minimal-mild stages” in Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology. The…
Key Points Lay SummaryAltered Immunity in Endometriosis
In recent years, there has been increased attention on the role of immune system in endometriosis development. Normally, immune reactions are supposed to destroy endometrial cells seeding in the peritoneal cavity. Nonetheless, in endometriosis, these cells are able to evade,…
Key Points Lay SummaryAmbiguous experience: Destructive or Constructive
A diagnostic delay of 4-12 years is reported among women with endometriosis, which is explained by the lack of awareness of endometriosis as a medical condition among patients and healthcare professionals. In searching for a diagnosis, patients encounter many healthcare…
Key Points Lay SummaryCould Gabapentin Make my Pain Go Away?
Gabapentin could effectively reduce endometriosis-associated pain, according to a new study published in the Journal of Pain Research. The study that was conducted in mice and endometriotic tissues from patients suggests that certain proteins present on the surface of cells…
Key Points Lay SummaryPatient-centered endometriosis care
Endometriosis is defined as endometrial glands and stroma that exist outside the uterine cavity. Ectopic endometrial tissue and resultant inflammation can cause dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, chronic pain, and infertility, all of which reduce the quality of life. The aim of the…
Key Points Lay SummaryDifficulties Associated with Diagnosing Ascites and Encapsulating Peritonitis in Endometriosis
De Magalhães et al. recently published a paper titled “Ascites and Encapsulating Peritonitis in Endometriosis: a Systematic Review with a Case Report” in Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. The team from the Universidade Federal do Ceará and the Universidade…
Key Points Lay SummaryWill my Endometriosis Respond to Hormone Therapy?
Every woman has a different set of hormone receptors in the lining of their uterus. Yet, hormone-based therapies that are used to treat women with endometriosis do not take into consideration these differences among patients. Analyzing, which particular hormone receptors…
Key Points Lay SummaryA clearer picture of "endometriosis after menopause"
Delfin Avendano Tan and Marie Josephine Guanlao Almeria are obstetrician-gynecologists from the Philippines. They recently published a review article titled "Postmenopausal endometriosis: drawing a clearer picture". In this paper, the authors discussed the pathogenesis, risk factors, and management of postmenopausal…
Key Points Lay SummaryPsychosocial impact of endometriosis
In this review article, researchers from Switzerland report a review to outline the consequences of endometriosis on the psychological, sexual, and interpersonal functioning of both patients and their partners, in the journal Best Practice & Research Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology.…
Key Points Lay SummaryTherapeutic strategies involving uterine stem cells in reproductive medicine
Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that often serve to regenerate tissue in states of injury or apoptosis. The endometrium has progenitor cells that replace tissue lost after each menstrual cycle. It has been postulated that excessive stem cell recruitment to…
Key Points Lay SummaryAbnormal Regulation of Pathways Seen in Endometriosis
Sikora et al., a team from the Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, published a study in the Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics titled “The role of complement components C1q, MBL and C1 inhibitor in the pathogenesis of endometriosis.” It has been said that complement system…
Key Points Lay SummaryStenoses in the colorectal anastomose sites after DIE surgery
Deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) is a particular form of endometriosis that penetrates at least 5 mm under the peritoneal surface. DIE is primarily located in the rectosigmoid junction and the rectum with an incidence of 70% and 90%, respectively. The…
Key Points Lay SummaryA Way to Better Diagnose Colorectal Endometriosis
Combining magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with computed tomography-based virtual colonoscopy (CTC) can make the assessment of colorectal endometriosis more accurate. This is important because it can help doctors plan the surgery better and inform their patients. In order to evaluate…
Key Points Lay SummaryNon-coding RNAs in endometriosis
The pathophysiological mechanisms causing the development of endometriosis, which is a heterogeneous disease remain enigmatic, and a lack of effective biomarkers necessitates surgical intervention for diagnosis. Non-coding RNA (ncRNA) molecules, which are important regulators of cellular function, have been implicated…
Key Points Lay SummaryManaging of endometriosis and associated ovarian cancer risk
According to a number of studies, endometriosis is associated with moderate increase in ovarian cancer risk. This risk is elevated in subjects with a long-standing history of untreated ovarian endometriosis. Endometriosis is particularly associated with risk for certain histological subtypes…
Key Points Lay SummaryEmerging medical treatments for endometriosis
Endometriosis is a disease whereby uterine tissue grows outside the walls of the uterus to the surfaces of other tissues in the body. It is a chronic disease and relies upon estrogen to grow and survive. Current medical therapies take…
Key Points Lay SummaryIs the Endometriosis Fertility Index Reliable?
Zhang et al. recently published a paper titled “Prediction of Endometriosis Fertility Index in patients with endometriosis-associated infertility after laparoscopic treatment” in Reproductive BioMedicine Online. The research group from the West China Second University Hospital in Sichuan University wanted to…
Key Points Lay SummaryCould Endometriosis Be Caused by Bacteria?
A new concept called the bacterial contamination hypothesis in endometriosis has been proposed for the first time by researchers in Japan. This means that new potential therapies approaches could exist for this condition in addition to the conventional estrogen-suppressing therapies.…
Key Points Lay SummaryExtending the Female Fertility Clock
Varela, Sanchez-de-Puerta, and Garcia-Velasco are a group of scientists from various institutions in Spain and they recently published a review article titled “Fertility, IVF and reproductive genetics” in Current Opinion in Obstetrics and Gynecology. In this publication, the authors discussed…
Key Points Lay SummaryIncreasing IVF Success Rates
DuoStim or double ovarian stimulation is the most promising approach to increase the number of eggs collected to be used in IVF, according to a review article published in the journal Current Opinion in Obstetrics and Gynecology. Pain and infertility…
Key Points Lay SummaryS100A6 May be a Promising Target for Endometriosis Treatments
Peng et al., a group primarily from the Zhejiang University Medical College, recently published a paper in Gynecological Endocrinology titled “Upregulation of S100A6 in patients with endometriosis and its role in ectopic endometrial stromal cells.” This paper delineates a study…
Key Points Lay SummaryHOXA10: A Culprit in Endometriosis Disease Progression
Zheng et al., a group of authors from the Aerospace Center Hospital in Bejing and from the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University in Wenzhou, recently published a paper in Reproductive Sciences entitled “Decreased Expression of HOXA10 May Activate the…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis surgery and preservation of fertility, what surgeons should know
Endometriosis can involve most of the pelvic organs including the uterus, ovaries and fallopian tubes and thus has the potential to cause infertility. This article titled, “Endometriosis surgery and preservation of fertility, what surgeons should know” written by H. Roman…
Key Points Lay SummaryStem cell therapy for the premature ovarian failure
Premature ovarian failure (POF) is one of the common disorders found in women. The cause of POF is not fully known, but various factors have been suggested. In genetically, X and autosomes chromosome abnormalities could result in some POF. The…
Key Points Lay SummaryMost Effective Embryo Transfer Strategy
Bourdon et al., a group of scientists mainly from the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, recently published a paper in PLOS ONE titled “The deferred embryo transfer strategy improves cumulative pregnancy rates in endometriosis-related infertility: A retrospective matched cohort study.” This study…
Key Points Lay SummarymiRNAs, Could Be a Reliable Biomarker of Endometriosis
miRNAs, small pieces of genetic material found in the blood could be used as a reliable marker to diagnose endometriosis, according to a study by U.S. researchers. They could also be used to follow the progression of the disease and…
Key Points Lay SummaryReproductive delay and social egg freezing
The data collected from Office for National Statistics in England and Wales has suggested a major shift in the timing of motherhood. In the mid-1970s, the average age of motherhood was 26.4 years of age to, while in 2016, it…
Key Points Lay SummaryHighlights Thoracic Endometriosis Case
Dr. Tamer Seckin, MD, the co-founder of the Endometriosis Foundation of America, was recently featured in a New York Times article titled “The Woman Was Fit and Healthy. Why Did Her Lung Mysteriously Collapse?&rdq