Endometriomas and the Severity of Endometriosis

Endometriomas and the Severity of Endometriosis By Hakan Kula

A new study published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine by Dr.Nezhad's group reveals that endometriomas, a form of deeply infiltrating endometriosis, are strongly associated with advanced stages of the disease.  The authors investigated how the presence of endometriomas—whether on one side or both—correlates…

Key Points Lay Summary

Robotic-assisted laparoscopy to manage severe diaphragmatic endometriosis

 Robotic-assisted laparoscopy to manage severe diaphragmatic endometriosis By Selma Oransay

Diaphragmatic endometriosis is a rare extrapelvic form of endometriosis, with specific symptoms experienced by 30%, such as shoulder, chest, arm, and right upper quadrant pain. An early diagnosis is vital to prevent the disease progressively toward the thoracic cavity, causing catamenial…

Key Points Lay Summary

Endometriosis May Be Identified Using a Standardized Questionnaire

Endometriosis May Be Identified Using a Standardized Questionnaire By Özge Özkaya

Screening adolescents and young adult women with a questionnaire can identify clinical symptoms associated with histologically proven endometriosis, according to a new study published in the scientific journal Human Reproduction.  “Combined with imaging and clinical examination, this approach will enable…

Key Points Lay Summary

Artificial intelligence and Endometriosis

Artificial intelligence and Endometriosis By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

Academicians led by Dr. Yong from Vancouver, Canada, have published a timely review on the utility of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in endometriosis. This review appeared in a recent issue of the BMJ Woman’s Health. As a well-known issue, endometriosis poses…

Key Points Lay Summary

Performance of the 2021 AAGL endometriosis classification

Performance of the 2021 AAGL endometriosis classification By Selma Oransay

The most common scoring system is the revised American Society for Reproductive Medicine (rASRM) staging system for endometriosis. However, this classification system was widely criticized for failing to correlate surgical complexity and to show patients' pain scales and fertility indexes.…

Key Points Lay Summary

Menstrual Health & Endometriosis Education Increases the Awareness in Students

Menstrual Health & Endometriosis Education Increases the Awareness in Students By Hale Goksever Celik

The main symptoms of endometriosis include dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, and chronic pelvic pain that may result in social and developmental disturbances such as abstinence from school or work. There is a significant diagnostic delay of endometriosis diagnosis, because symptoms may be…

Key Points Lay Summary

Personalized Surgical Strategies for Bowel Endometriosis to Enhance Patient Outcomes

Personalized Surgical Strategies for Bowel Endometriosis to Enhance Patient Outcomes By Eylül GÜN

Bowel endometriosis often impacts the rectum or sigmoid colon, causing significant symptoms and reducing fertility. Treatments include hormonal therapy and surgery, with techniques varying widely. Crestani et al., in the leadership of Dr. Horace Roman, conducted a study aiming to…

Key Points Lay Summary

A new pathogenetic hypothesis of endometriosis

A new pathogenetic hypothesis of endometriosis By Selma Oransay

Recent research has focused on perimenopausal women who experienced hematoperitoneum and lower abdominal pain, subsequently developing deep infiltrating endometriosis within a few months of the initial episode. Ultrasonographic evaluations revealed that a bleeding functional ovarian cyst was the primary cause…

Key Points Lay Summary

Conventional Laparoscopy as Good as Robotic-Assisted Laparoscopy

Conventional Laparoscopy as Good as Robotic-Assisted Laparoscopy By Özge Özkaya

Both conventional laparoscopy and robotic-assisted laparoscopy are associated with significant long-term symptom relief in patients with endometriosis involving the sacral plexus and sciatic nerve, according to a new study published in the International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics. “Although surgeons…

Key Points Lay Summary

Nanotechnology for endometriosis

Nanotechnology for endometriosis By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

Dr.Talukdar from Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, and colleagues have published a timely review of nanoparticle applications in endometriosis. This review appeared in the June 2024 issue of the journal “Nanomaterials”.  As envisioned by Professor Ehrlich in the 19th…

Key Points Lay Summary

Why we should prefer nerve-sparing surgery in deep endometriosis?

Why we should prefer nerve-sparing surgery in deep endometriosis? By Selma Oransay

Despite its benign nature, deep endometriosis can mimic malignant processes and infiltrate multiple organs, blood vessels, ligaments, and nerves within the pelvis. When conservative medical management fails, the need for surgical excision of endometriotic lesions arises. The surgeons aim to…

Key Points Lay Summary

The most influential adverse effects of endometriosis

The most influential adverse effects of endometriosis By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

Academicians from the Queen’s University, Ontario Canada led by Dr. Velez published their population-based cohort study related to pregnancy complications in a recent issue of the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Canada. This population-based cohort study analyzed the association between endometriosis and…

Key Points Lay Summary

Laparoscopic procedures can alleviate fatigue in women suffering from endometriosis

 Laparoscopic procedures can alleviate fatigue in women suffering from endometriosis By Hale Goksever Celik

The most common symptoms of endometriosis include pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, and infertility. Effective management is essential due to the significant impact these symptoms have on a woman's quality of life. Fatigue, characterized by persistent and severe tiredness, is also…

Key Points Lay Summary

Robot-assisted laparoscopy for deep infiltrating endometriosis of bowel

 Robot-assisted laparoscopy for deep infiltrating endometriosis of bowel By Selma Oransay

Deep infiltrating endometriosis is characterized by lesions larger than 5 mm that penetrate the peritoneum or invade the muscular layer of adjacent organs, affecting over 20% of women with endometriosis.  Bowel involvement occurs in 5-12% of cases and may present with…

Key Points Lay Summary

Increasing evidence suggests that endometriosis should be considered a systemic disease

Increasing evidence suggests that endometriosis should be considered a systemic disease By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

Professors Tulandi from McGill University, Canada, and Vercellini from Milano University, Italy, have recently published their expert opinion on endometriosis as a systemic disorder in Reproductive Biomedicine Online (RBMO). The contemporary view on endometriosis is suggestive of a type of…

Key Points Lay Summary

Superiority of hysterectomy over lesion excision in the treatment of rectovaginal endometriosis

Superiority of hysterectomy over lesion excision in the treatment of rectovaginal endometriosis By Selma Oransay

Confirmative treatment of endometriosis includes excision or ablation of visible lesions while conserving the uterus and ovaries. On the contrary, the radical approach involves total hysterectomy and even bilateral oophorectomy to create a hypo-estrogen state, remove adenomyosis if it exists,…

Key Points Lay Summary

New horizons in endometriosis and immunity

New horizons in endometriosis and immunity By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

Academicians led by Dorota Suszczyk from Lublin, Poland have published their recent comprehensive narrative review on immunity and endometriosis in International Journal of Molecular Sciences. Recent evidence points to the importance of co-inhibitory immune checkpoints which could be related to endometriosis mechanisms…

Key Points Lay Summary

Causal links between inflammatory regulators and endometriosis phenotypes

Causal links between inflammatory regulators and endometriosis phenotypes By Eylül GÜN

Endometriosis is believed to be polygenic and multifactorial, involving processes such as angiogenesis, immune responses, hormonal changes, and progesterone resistance. Inflammation is suspected to play a crucial role in its development, potentially creating a microenvironment that supports ectopic endometrial tissue growth.…

Key Points Lay Summary

Impact of Endometriosis Subtypes on Increased Ovarian Cancer Risk

Impact of Endometriosis Subtypes on Increased Ovarian Cancer Risk By Özge Özkaya

The risk of ovarian cancer is markedly increased in patients with ovarian endometriomas and/or deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE), according to a new study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association.  These patients should be offered counseling about the risk of ovarian cancer and…

Key Points Lay Summary

A literature review about postmenopausal endometriosis.

A literature review about postmenopausal endometriosis. By Selma Oransay

Typically, endometriosis disease brings relief to women after menopause, but some individuals continue to develop some endometriosis-related issues even after the cessation of menstruation. This enigmatic condition, called postmenopausal endometriosis,  needs to be understood, and the disease must be diagnosed…

Key Points Lay Summary

Endometriosis and musculoskeletal function of pelvic loin complex

Endometriosis and musculoskeletal function of pelvic loin complex By Hale Goksever Celik

Endometriosis is an inflammatory and estrogen-dependent disease which is diagnosed in reproductive-aged women most frequently. These women present with a broad clinical spectrum including pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia and infertility. All of these symptoms and signs may harm women’s lives…

Key Points Lay Summary

Endometriosis relief: How vitamins C and E can make a difference

Endometriosis relief: How vitamins C and E can make a difference By Eylül GÜN

Recent studies indicate that oxidative stress significantly contributes to the onset and progression of endometriosis. High levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) can cause cellular damage and enhance inflammation, leading to the pain associated with the condition. Antioxidants like vitamins…

Key Points Lay Summary

Rare but clinically important diagnosis; Herlyn-Werner-Wunderlich syndrome

Rare but clinically important diagnosis; Herlyn-Werner-Wunderlich syndrome By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

The staff of the Department of Ultrasonography, Third Xiangya Hospital Central South University, Hunan, China have published their case series of the rare Herlyn-Werner-Wunderlich syndrome (HWWS) in a recent issue of Reproductive Sciences. HWWS, is a rare genital tract anomaly…

Key Points Lay Summary

An often overlooked symptom: Sleep disorders in patients with endometriosis

An often overlooked symptom: Sleep disorders in patients with endometriosis By Selma Oransay

Recent reports suggested that women with endometriosis have more frequent complaints of poor sleep, reduced quality of life, and higher pain scores when compared with healthy women. Patients experience fatigue and increased pain the day after insomnia. For this reason,…

Key Points Lay Summary

What Factors Affect the Chance of Being Diagnosed With Endometriosis?

What Factors Affect the Chance of Being Diagnosed With Endometriosis? By Özge Özkaya

There are demographic disparities in the diagnosis of endometriosis among women in the US, ages 15 to 50 according to a new study published in the Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology.  These disparities suggest that intersecting barriers may prevent some…

Key Points Lay Summary

Low-grade albeit longstanding inflammation may have a pivotal role in the ovary

Low-grade albeit longstanding inflammation may have a pivotal role in the ovary By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

Academicians from Japan led by Associate Professor Makoto Orisaka published their update related to the role of inflammation in polycystic ovaries, endometriosis, and aging in the medical journal Frontiers in Endocrionology. Inflammation is the response of tissues to noxious stimuli…

Key Points Lay Summary

The role of coagulation factors and tumor markers in diagnosing advanced stage endometriosis

The role of coagulation factors and tumor markers in diagnosing advanced stage endometriosis By Eylül GÜN

As a systemic inflammatory condition, endometriosis features elevated proinflammatory cytokines, causing pain, endothelial dysfunction, carcinogenesis, and a hypercoagulable state. Patients with endometriosis show decreased thrombin time (TT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), alongside increased tissue factor (TF) and fibrinogen…

Key Points Lay Summary

Retrograde Menstruation Theory Through Müllerian Anomalies

Retrograde Menstruation Theory Through Müllerian Anomalies By Selma Oransay

The pathogenesis of endometriosis is still under debate. Sampson also described this condition as "developmentally misplaced endometrial tissue" in 1925.  To evaluate the theories of pathogenesis, Vercellini et al. from the Academic Center for Research on Adenomyosis and Endometriosis at…

Key Points Lay Summary

Diminished physical activity in women with endometriosis due to chronic pelvic pain

Diminished physical activity in women with endometriosis due to chronic pelvic pain By Hale Goksever Celik

Endometriosis is a systemic, chronic, inflammatory disease defined as the localization of endometrial-like tissue outside the uterine cavity. Pelvic pain is the most common symptom in these women resulting in abstinence from school or work and psychosocial problems. Physical activity…

Key Points Lay Summary

The role of immunity in endometriosis

The role of immunity in endometriosis By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

Academicians from Japan and China have recently published their comprehensive updated immunological review for endometriosis in the Journal of Reproductive Immunology.  Endometriosis is a multifactorial condition with multiple theories of pathogenesis. The role of innate and adaptive immunology in this…

Key Points Lay Summary

Diagnosis and management of treatment in diaphragmatic endometriosis.

Diagnosis and management of treatment in diaphragmatic endometriosis. By Selma Oransay

Diaphragmatic endometriosis is a rare extra-pelvic type of deep endometriosis with a prevalence of 0,19% to 4,75. In symptomatic women, the symptoms are characterized by non-specific chest pain, shoulder pain, right upper quadrant abdominal pain, and pneumothorax, whereas 75% of…

Key Points Lay Summary

Postmenopausal endometriosis is often neglected

Postmenopausal endometriosis is often neglected By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

Romanian academicians led by Dr. Mihai-Daniel Dinu have published their review of the published scientific data related to postmenopausal endometriosis in a recent special issue of the medical periodical Life. Even though endometriosis is accepted as a hormone-dependent disorder of…

Key Points Lay Summary

Regulatory T cells influence on endometriosis development

Regulatory T cells influence on endometriosis development By Eylül GÜN

While the exact cause of endometriosis is still debated, various theories are being investigated. One approach focuses on the immune system. Regulatory T-cells (Tregs) are crucial in suppressing inflammatory immune responses and preventing autoimmune diseases, allergies, infections, and cancer. Knez…

Key Points Lay Summary

Improving fertility in peritoneal endometriosis

Improving fertility in peritoneal endometriosis By Selma Oransay

Endometriosis is the most common gynecologic disease that affects 10-15% of women in their reproductive age. The causal relationship between endometriosis and infertility is not clear yet, but adhesions and anatomical distortions due to the progression of the disease are…

Key Points Lay Summary

Chronic pelvic pain mechanisms in endometriosis

Chronic pelvic pain mechanisms in endometriosis By Eylül GÜN

M. J. Quinn from Shanghai, China wrote an editorial piece in the latest issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology commenting on an article by Gete et al. in which they shared the findings from the Australian Longitudinal Study…

Key Points Lay Summary

Endometriosis-associated symptoms have a negative impact on the quality of life in women

Endometriosis-associated symptoms have a negative impact on the quality of life in women By Hale Goksever Celik

Women with endometriosis experience restrictions in their daily activities due to pelvic pain, resulting in abstinence from work or school and discontinuation of their social activities. Evaluation and management of endometriosis-associated symptoms is important to prevent these significant consequences. However, successful…

Key Points Lay Summary

The need for fertility preservation in women with endometriosis

The need for fertility preservation in women with endometriosis By Selma Oransay

A variety of pathologies such as adhesions, inflammation, modified pelvic anatomy, and altered ovarian reserve are among the causes of infertility in women with endometriosis. Additionally, these patients experience suboptimal outcomes characterized by reduced pregnancy rates when they undergo assisted…

Key Points Lay Summary

microRNA signatures as a non-invasive diagnostic tool for peritoneal endometriosis

microRNA signatures as a non-invasive diagnostic tool for peritoneal endometriosis By Eylül GÜN

Using microRNA (miRNA) signatures obtained from bodily fluids as a non-invasive diagnostic tool for endometriosis has recently emerged as a useful method. Endometriosis remains an underdiagnosed disease, especially with subtypes such as peritoneal endometriosis which presents with non-specific symptoms. Researchers…

Key Points Lay Summary

Study Sheds Light on Molecular Mechanism of Endometriosis Development

Study Sheds Light on Molecular Mechanism of Endometriosis Development By Özge Özkaya

Cell adhesion molecule 2 (CADM2) may inhibit the development of endometriosis, according to a new study published in the scientific journal Reproductive Sciences. It may do so by suppressing epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. A better understanding of the mechanism underlying the development of…

Key Points Lay Summary

Recommendations of experts on transvaginal ultrasonography

Recommendations of experts on transvaginal ultrasonography By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

Following June 2022, the Society of Radiologists in Ultrasound composed of a panel of 16 experts in imaging and management of endometriosis, the recommendations have been published in a recent issue of Radiology. Transvaginal sonography is accepted as a first-line…

Key Points Lay Summary

Any link between endometriosis and neonatal uterine bleeding?

Any link between endometriosis and neonatal uterine bleeding? By Selma Oransay

A Medline search using the keywords " neonatal uterine bleeding," " pathophysiology," and "premenarche" was made by Dr. Habiba et al. from the Department of Health Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK. A total of 2264 articles were collected, and…

Key Points Lay Summary

Endometriosis and mental health disorders: How associated are they?

Endometriosis and mental health disorders: How associated are they? By Eylül GÜN

As with any chronic condition, endometriosis does not only present with physiological problems. The association between endometriosis and mental health issues has been widely studied and it is now known that these patients undergo depression, anxiety, and even bipolar disorder…

Key Points Lay Summary

Dysmenorrhea in adolescent girls and the quality of life

Dysmenorrhea in adolescent girls and the quality of life By Hale Goksever Celik

Dysmenorrhea, also known as period pain, painful periods, or menstrual cramps, is pain during menstruation. Despite its high incidence, dysmenorrhea is often a stigmatized and normalized condition. However, it is known that painful periods cause abstinence from work or school…

Key Points Lay Summary

Endometrial cancer risk in endometriosis: What does the real-world data reveal?

Endometrial cancer risk in endometriosis: What does the real-world data reveal? By Eylül GÜN

Endometriosis is considered a benign disease, however, studies showed certain somatic mutations in the endometriotic glands indicating a potential link to endometrial cancer. Later, eutopic endometrial tissue was demonstrated to have the same somatic mutations. This resulted in controversial findings…

Key Points Lay Summary

A concerning link between endometriosis and cardiovascular disease.

A concerning link between endometriosis and cardiovascular disease. By Selma Oransay

Endometriosis is a disease characterized by endometrial-like tissues outside the uterus, which causes inflammation, scarring, and adhesion formation. The pathologic process of forming those adhesions releases proinflammatory molecules, cytokines, and growth factors that may have systemic effects. Recent research, for…

Key Points Lay Summary

A comprehensive review of subdermal progestin in adenomyosis management

A comprehensive review of subdermal progestin in adenomyosis management By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

French academicians from Lyon and Marseilles led by Dr. Chene have published recently an electronic database search on the effectiveness of progestin subdermal implants in adenomyosis patients. This review appeared in the March 2024 issue of “The European Journal of…

Key Points Lay Summary

Is there a Way of Knowing if I Have Endometriosis Without Surgery?

Is there a Way of Knowing if I Have Endometriosis Without Surgery? By Özge Özkaya

The levels of certain cell signaling molecules called interleukins (ILs) are higher while that of others is lower in patients with endometriosis, according to a new study published in the Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology.  “There is mounting evidence that…

Key Points Lay Summary

The depth of the iceberg: Parametrial involvement in deep endometriosis

The depth of the iceberg: Parametrial involvement in deep endometriosis By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

Academicians led by members of the International School of Surgical Anatomy from Italy have published their paper on parametrial involvement of deep endometriosis in the medical periodical named “Best Practice & Research Clinical Obstetrics & Gynecology”.  Deep endometriosis is troublesome when…

Key Points Lay Summary

Uterine innervation and its impact on endometriosis related pelvic pain.

 Uterine innervation and its impact on endometriosis related pelvic pain. By Selma Oransay

Advancements in immunochemistry, fluorochromes, computer-associated anatomical dissection, and 3D reconstruction of uterine micro-innervation brought substantial progress in pelvic neuroanatomy. The complex uterine innervation and its interactions with uterine parts and layers are yet fully revealed. Austruc et al.,  from the…

Key Points Lay Summary

Ovarian endometriomas revisited

Ovarian endometriomas revisited By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

Dr. Farr R. Nezhat and his world-renowned team have published their narrative review on ovarian endometrioma in a recent issue of the Obstetrics and Gynecology. Endometriotic cysts (endometriomas) of the ovaries range from small (1–3 cm) to large (20 cm or…

Key Points Lay Summary

Key Aspects of Ureterolysis in deep endometriosis surgery

Key Aspects of Ureterolysis in deep endometriosis surgery By Selma Oransay

Deep endometriosis surgery needs talented surgeons to preserve and protect vital structures during the excision of endometriotic lesions. The technique for ureterolysis is essential to mitigate the risk of ureteral injuries and improve patient outcomes. Dr. Chatroux and Dr. Einarsson…

Key Points Lay Summary

Can a Virtual Stress Reduction Program Help Improve my Quality of Life?

Can a Virtual Stress Reduction Program Help Improve my Quality of Life? By Özge Özkaya

A virtual mindfulness-based stress reduction program may improve the quality of life of patients with endometriosis, according to a new study published in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Canada.  The authors of the study reported that the program was…

Key Points Lay Summary

The location of adenomyosis, and recurrent abortion

The location of adenomyosis, and recurrent abortion By Selma Oransay

ESHRE defines repeated pregnancy loss (RPL) as the loss of pregnancies with two or more weeks of gestation. Adenomyosis is the presence of ectopic endometrium, in the myometrium. High-resolution transvaginal ultrasound and sonographic criteria can help to diagnose the disease…

Key Points Lay Summary

MRI Improves Deep Infiltrating Endometriosis Diagnosis

MRI Improves Deep Infiltrating Endometriosis Diagnosis By Özge Özkaya

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with susceptibility-weighted imaging sequence is the best method of non-invasively diagnosing endometriosis, according to a new study published in the International Journal of Reproductive BioMedicine. However, the authors noted, “Laparoscopy is still the gold standard of…

Key Points Lay Summary

Programmed Cell Death 1 Ligand Expression and Endometrioma Recurrence

Programmed Cell Death 1 Ligand Expression and Endometrioma Recurrence By Hale Goksever Celik

Although there are several medical and surgical management options, endometriosis is highly prone to recurrence. A possible predictor of recurrence would be the quality of life for women with endometriosis. On the other hand, endometriosis is an immunological disease, there…

Key Points Lay Summary

Sophisticated study yields hopes for a new potential remedy

Sophisticated study yields hopes for a new potential remedy By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

Academicians from the Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University Graduate School, Japan, conducted a clinical and experimental study on the role of SMAD (Suppressor of Mothers Against Decapentaplegic) molecules in endometriosis, and have published their results in a recent issue…

Key Points Lay Summary

Ultrasonographic findings and the clinical symptoms of pelvic endometriosis

Ultrasonographic findings and the clinical symptoms of pelvic endometriosis By Selma Oransay

Imaging techniques achieve the clinical diagnosis of endometriosis, which affects 10-15% of all women of reproductive age. Suspected patients with clinical history and symptoms need a systemic examination of the uterus, ovaries, adnexa, and peritoneal covering the rectouterine, retrocervical, and…

Key Points Lay Summary

Painful Sex Might Be a Valid Indication for Endometriosis Surgery

Painful Sex Might Be a Valid Indication for Endometriosis Surgery By Özge Özkaya

According to a new study published in the Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology, the type of endometriosis surgery, and pain improvement after surgery may be linked.  More precisely, rectovaginal endometriosis surgery may be associated with reduced dyspareunia or painful intercourse. “Clinicians…

Key Points Lay Summary

Visual representation of endometriosis pain

Visual representation of endometriosis pain By Selma Oransay

Endometriosis is accompanied by severe chronic pelvic pain that impacts quality of life, relationships, and work conditions. Studies aiming to improve pain are frequently encountered in the literature. Nonetheless, pain research is complex due to its subjective nature, and cannot…

Key Points Lay Summary

Women's willingness to donate menstrual blood for endometriosis research

Women's willingness to donate menstrual blood for endometriosis research By Selma Oransay

The menstrual blood is 50-100 ml/per cycle, with 80% lost during the first three days. On the heaviest bleeding day, 2 to 8 ml may be collected from a cup worn for four hours. This fluid could be investigated by…

Key Points Lay Summary

Stem cells may open new horizons in various gynecological disorders

Stem cells may open new horizons in various gynecological disorders By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

In-Sun Hong, PhD, a researcher in regenerative medicine at Korean Gachon University has published a comprehensive review on the role of stem cells in gynecological disorders in a recent issue of the International Journal of Biological Sciences. Endometrium changes the menstrual…

Key Points Lay Summary

Self-Compassion May Help Cope With Endometriosis

Self-Compassion May Help Cope With Endometriosis By Özge Özkaya

The health-related quality of life of women living with endometriosis in New Zealand is “significantly impaired” confirms a new study published in the scientific journal Psychology & Health.  This result highlights the potential role of self-compassion and resilience to support…

Key Points Lay Summary

Postoperative pain-related quality of life for patiens with different types of endometriosis surgery.

Postoperative pain-related quality of life for patiens with different types of endometriosis surgery. By Selma Oransay

Endometriosis surgery usually improves chronic pelvic pain and the quality of life in women suffering from that disease. Response to surgery depends on several factors, however, in younger ages, recurrence of both pain and endometriosis lesions are reported. Most research…

Key Points Lay Summary

Fact or fiction: prescribing medicinal cannabioids in endometriosis patients in Australia

Fact or fiction: prescribing medicinal cannabioids in endometriosis patients in Australia By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

A team of academic institutions from Australia has published their cross-sectional study on cannabis usage in endometriosis patients which has appeared in the recent issue of the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. As victims of a…

Key Points Lay Summary

Is there any relationship between age at diagnosis and the severity of endometriosis?

Is there any relationship between age at diagnosis and the severity of endometriosis? By Hale Goksever Celik

Endometriosis is an estrogen-dependent gynecological disease mostly encountered in reproductive-aged women. Early diagnosis is important, as endometriosis impairs the quality of life. The most accepted theory is that endometriosis is a progressive disease and its stage increases with age. Dr.…

Key Points Lay Summary

Revolutionizing endometriosis diagnosis: Advances in radiological imaging

Revolutionizing endometriosis diagnosis: Advances in radiological imaging By Eylül GÜN

With recent advances in diagnostic radiological imaging, the diagnosis of endometriosis, particularly for deep and ovarian endometriosis, has been revolutionized. Updated guidelines now recommend the initial use of endometriosis transvaginal ultrasound (eTVUS) and magnetic resonance imaging (eMRI) for diagnosis, although…

Key Points Lay Summary

Current practice in robotic surgery for deep-infiltrating endometriosis

Current practice in robotic surgery for deep-infiltrating endometriosis By Selma Oransay

Today, surgical excision of endometriotic lesions is the only cytoreductive procedure for managing endometriosis. Hormonal treatment may partly relieve the symptoms, but it suppresses rather than cytoreduction of the disease. Minimally invasive surgery is usually the most preferred method due…

Key Points Lay Summary

Hot research in endometriosis; new vessel formation: angiogenesis

Hot research in endometriosis; new vessel formation: angiogenesis By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

Caixia Bo and Yunfei Wang from Jining Medical University, China have recently published their comprehensive review on angiogenesis-related aspects of endometriotic tissues in a recent issue of journal named Molecular Medicine Reports. The main potential pathogenetic aspects of endometriosis include retrograde…

Key Points Lay Summary

Early use of hormonal contraceptives and the probability of endometriosis diagnosis later in life

 Early use of hormonal contraceptives and the probability of endometriosis diagnosis later in life By Selma Oransay

Hormonal contraceptives are the first-line medical treatment of endometriosis. If an adolescent has chronic pelvic pain and is an "unresponder" to hormonal therapy, the likelihood of having an "endometriosis diagnosis" is higher. This sign should warn clinicians about endometriosis diagnosis…

Key Points Lay Summary

Inguinal endometriosis is a commonly neglected differential diagnosis

Inguinal endometriosis is a commonly neglected differential diagnosis By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

A case series of inguinal endometriosis with eight patients from Tehran, Iran has appeared in a recent issue of the Journal of Medical Case Reports. It is a fact that many inguinal endometriosis cases are undiagnosed since they undergo herniorrhaphy…

Key Points Lay Summary

Does The Severity of Endometriosis Pain Affect the Chance of Having a Baby With IVF?

Does The Severity of Endometriosis Pain Affect the Chance of Having a Baby With IVF? By Özge Özkaya

Severe pain symptoms in endometriosis have no relation with the outcomes of assisted reproductive techniques such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), according to a new study published in the journal Human Reproduction.  This finding suggests that the decision-making process for…

Key Points Lay Summary

Early diagnosis of deep infiltrating endometriosis in adolescence

 Early diagnosis of deep infiltrating endometriosis in adolescence By Selma Oransay

Dysmenorrhea is widely observed in adolescence, and endometriosis is one of its causes. However, endometriosis diagnosis is usually made after 25 years of age. It is clear that early diagnosis and management of this progressive disease is essential and will…

Key Points Lay Summary

Chronic stress may be involved both in the pathogenesis and progression of endometriosis

Chronic stress may be involved both in the pathogenesis and progression of endometriosis By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

Chong Lu and associates from Shangai, China have published their novel research on chronic stress and endometriosis in a recent issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences. During the natural course of endometriosis many patients are under chronic stress, which…

Key Points Lay Summary

New Predictive Model Can Identify Minimal and Mild Endometriosis

New Predictive Model Can Identify Minimal and Mild Endometriosis By Özge Özkaya

Researchers from China developed a predictive model that can identify minimal and mild endometriosis in infertile women. The paper appeared in the March 2024 issue of the Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology. “This model would assist clinicians in screening infertile…

Key Points Lay Summary

Hands-on proposals for medical counseling and verbalizations to use for women with endometriosis

Hands-on proposals for medical counseling and verbalizations to use for women with endometriosis By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

An overview has been published recently in the Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics on patient–doctor communication and psychological counseling in endometriosis by two academicians, Drs. Wischmann and  Ditzen, from Heidelberg University, Germany. There is no known cure for endometriosis and primary management…

Key Points Lay Summary

Can We Reliably Measure Sleep Quality in Women With Endometriosis?

Can We Reliably Measure Sleep Quality in Women With Endometriosis? By Özge Özkaya

The Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) lead to consistent scores comparable in women with deep infiltrating endometriosis, according to a new study published in the scientific journal Sleep Medicine. However, the cutoff values of…

Key Points Lay Summary

Are women with endometriosis more prone to have mental health disorders?

Are women with endometriosis more prone to have mental health disorders? By Hale Goksever Celik

Endometriosis is a long-term morbidity resulting in impaired physical, sexual, psychological, and social health. The most common clinical findings of endometriosis patients are chronic pelvic pain and fertility problems, associated with impaired quality of life. These women are also affected…

Key Points Lay Summary

Clinical awareness for endometriosis in infertility should be surged

Clinical awareness for endometriosis in infertility should be surged By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

A team of researchers from multiple centers including Stanford University and Swiss Federal Laboratories, led by Dr.Camran Nezhat have published their cross-sectional retrospective study on endometriosis and unexplained infertility association. This research paper appeared in a recent issue of the Journal…

Key Points Lay Summary

Fertility outcomes after discoid excision for colorectal endometriosis.

Fertility outcomes after discoid excision for colorectal endometriosis. By Selma Oransay

Colorectal endometriosis is one of the most severe forms of deep endometriosis, composing 85% of all bowel lesions. Radical treatment is segmental resection of the bowels, which can cause postoperative severe complications such as rectovaginal fistula and voiding dysfunctions that negatively…

Key Points Lay Summary

Vitamin D Levels Associated With Endometriosis Risk

Vitamin D Levels Associated With Endometriosis Risk By Özge Özkaya

Endometriosis is inversely correlated with the levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 in the serum, according to a new study published in the scientific journal PLoS One. However, more research is necessary to establish a causal link between the disease and vitamin…

Key Points Lay Summary

Management of uterine adenomyomas with percutaneous cryoablation.

Management of uterine adenomyomas with percutaneous cryoablation. By Selma Oransay

Adenomyosis can negatively affect the quality of life by causing abnormal bleeding, pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea, and dyspareunia. It is often associated with endometriomas and/or leiomyomas. Treatment of the disease differs as conservative or radical, as well as pharmacological or surgical. For…

Key Points Lay Summary

Current status of non-invasive biomarkers for endometriosis

Current status of non-invasive biomarkers for endometriosis By Eylül GÜN

Laparoscopy has been the gold standard for the diagnosis of endometriosis, however, the understanding of how many people have the condition is limited because not everyone undergoes surgery. The different treatment modalities for patients with unexplained infertility and the invasiveness…

Key Points Lay Summary

Endometriosis vs. adenomyosis : is there a common pathogenesis ?

Endometriosis vs. adenomyosis : is there a common pathogenesis ? By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

This is a collaborative review on the pathophysiology of adenomyosis and endometriosis by academicians of the University of Leicester, UK; Fudan University, Shanghai, China and Sapienza University of Rome, Italy, published in a recent issue of “Biomolecules”. The pathophysiology of…

Key Points Lay Summary

Spontaneous Conception After Deep Endometriosis Surgery

Spontaneous Conception After Deep Endometriosis Surgery By Selma Oransay

Deep endometriosis is a severe form of endometriosis where lesions invade deeper than 5 mm into subperitoneal space. Surgical management of the disease is a challenging task requiring a multi-disciplinary approach and significant expertise in the field. Anastomotic leaks, fistula,…

Key Points Lay Summary

Exploring the role of thyroid function in endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome

Exploring the role of thyroid function in endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome By Eylül GÜN

Endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and thyroid disorders are prevalent among women of reproductive age, yet their exact impacts on reproductive health and underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Given the close association of these conditions through the endocrine system, Kirkegaard et…

Key Points Lay Summary

Is post-cesarean pain perception and analgesic use in endometriosis-affected women different?

Is post-cesarean pain perception and analgesic use in endometriosis-affected women different? By Hale Goksever Celik

It has been known that endometriosis patients have increased pain sensitivity and different reactions to pain compared to women having no endometriosis. Several mechanisms such as nociception, inflammation, and changes in peripheral and central nervous system pain processing have been…

Key Points Lay Summary

Can Endometriosis Affect the Chance of Giving Birth to a Live Baby?

Can Endometriosis Affect the Chance of Giving Birth to a Live Baby? By Özge Özkaya

Deep infiltrating endometriosis and/or endometrioma diagnosed by transvaginal ultrasound is associated with a lower chance of giving birth to a live baby in patients undergoing their first in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), according to a new…

Key Points Lay Summary

Understanding endometriosis pain

Understanding endometriosis pain By Eylül GÜN

Chronic pain, especially in conditions like endometriosis, poses significant challenges for diagnosis and treatment due to its multifaceted nature. Elina Helosvuori and Venla Oikkonen from Finland conducted a study in which they aimed to explore the complexities of chronic pain,…

Key Points Lay Summary

Neonatal uterine bleeding at birth and endometriosis later in life

Neonatal uterine bleeding at birth and endometriosis later in life By Selma Oransay

In the first few days after birth, some female newborns bleed from the vaginal route, and this is called newborn uterine bleeding. The overt and occult neonatal uterine bleeding prevalence rates are 3-5% and 25-60% retrospectively. The causative risk factors for…

Key Points Lay Summary

Could brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) be a potential marker of endometriosis ?

Could brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) be a potential marker of endometriosis ? By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

Medical student Kyana Jafarabady and academicians from several medical centers in Iran have published their database research on Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in endometriosis patients in a recent issue of BMC Women’s Health. BDNF is a neurotrophin that plays an important…

Key Points Lay Summary

Psychosocial Factors Must Be Taken Into Account When Dealing With Endometriosis

Psychosocial Factors Must Be Taken Into Account When Dealing With Endometriosis By Özge Özkaya

It is crucial to take into account both physical and psychosocial factors to maintain physical and mental health in patients with endometriosis, according to a new study published in the scientific journal Psychology & Health. “Treatment should address both pelvic…

Key Points Lay Summary

Endometriosis treatment at diagnosis: Is it possible?

Endometriosis treatment at diagnosis: Is it possible? By Eylül GÜN

For most cases of endometriosis, a diagnostic laparoscopy followed by a therapeutic laparoscopy is recommended by The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Hypothesizing that patients with endometriosis might benefit from receiving only a therapeutic laparoscopy, combining diagnosis and…

Key Points Lay Summary

Should I Have Endometriosis Surgery Before IVF-ICSI?

Should I Have Endometriosis Surgery Before IVF-ICSI? By Özge Özkaya

The live birth rate per in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intrauterine sperm injection (ICSI) cycle was significantly reduced in women who underwent surgery to treat endometriosis before the procedures, found a new study published in the scientific journal Reproductive Sciences.  “These…

Key Points Lay Summary

New visions on diaphragmatic endometriosis

New visions on diaphragmatic endometriosis By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

Elvin Piriyev and Thomas Römer from Academic Hospital Cologne Weyertal, Germany have published their retrospective analysis of diaphragm endometriosis in a recent issue of the European Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. About 7-10% of reproductive-age women have endometriosis but diaphragm…

Key Points Lay Summary

Bladder Function Alterations Following Endometriosis Surgery

 Bladder Function Alterations Following Endometriosis Surgery By Selma Oransay

Although endometriosis is a common gynecologic disorder, urinary tract involvement is present in only 1-5% of these patients. When endometriosis invades the urinary tract, clinical symptoms may vary from asymptomatic to frequency, urgency, bladder pain, hematuria, and recurrent urinary infections.…

Key Points Lay Summary

Complementary and alternative therapies for managing acyclic pelvic pain in women with endometriosis

Complementary and alternative therapies for managing acyclic pelvic pain in women with endometriosis By Hale Goksever Celik

The quality of life in women with endometriosis is affected depending on the symptoms and signs of endometriosis such as dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, chronic pelvic pain, and infertility. Because of different clinical spectrum and diagnostic delays, there is no optimum management…

Key Points Lay Summary

Effects of Perceived Loneliness in Endometriosis

Effects of Perceived Loneliness in Endometriosis By Özge Özkaya

Perceived loneliness directly affects quality of life, according to a new study conducted in women with endometriosis. It also plays a crucial role in mediating the effects of experiences that women find difficult to verbalize. “It is possible that endometriosis…

Key Points Lay Summary

Pregnancy outcomes of women with endometriosis/adenomyosis.

Pregnancy outcomes of women with endometriosis/adenomyosis. By Selma Oransay

Endometriosis and adenomyosis are diseases presented by ectopic growth of endometrial-gland-like tissues, which we can find in ovaries, pelvic organs, and myometrium. These diseases are causes of hypermenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, chronic pelvic pain, and infertility. Although the number of reports about…

Key Points Lay Summary

Beware of deep endometriosis involving ureter

Beware of deep endometriosis involving ureter By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

Dr. Vacaroiu and colleagues from the Romanian academic milieu have published a case report of urinary tract endometriosis that could have otherwise resulted in kidney failure when remained undiagnosed. This case appeared in a recent issue of the Journal of Clinical…

Key Points Lay Summary

Surgery Pivotal in Improving Quality of Life in Endometriosis Patients

Surgery Pivotal in Improving Quality of Life in Endometriosis Patients By Özge Özkaya

Surgery plays a pivotal role in improving the quality of life of women with endometriosis who have previously not responded to medical therapy. This is according to a new study published in the Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology. During the…

Key Points Lay Summary

A unique approach for visualising endometriosis during surgery

A unique approach for visualising endometriosis during surgery By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

Dr. Jing Peng and associates from Shangai, China have made an experimental study on precise visualization of endometriotic lesions with gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog-modified indocyanine green, publishing their results in the Journal of Molecular Imaging.  Surgical interventions are important aspects of…

Key Points Lay Summary

Risk of endometriosis and related occupational factors among working women

Risk of endometriosis and related occupational factors among working women By Eylül GÜN

As a debilitating disease, endometriosis is well known to have effects on the patient's overall quality of life. Various studies have consistently reported that working women face an increased risk of endometriosis growth. Lee et al. from Korea conducted a…

Key Points Lay Summary

Ovarian adhesion prevention with polytetrafluoroethylene during endometrioma surgery.

Ovarian adhesion prevention with polytetrafluoroethylene during endometrioma surgery. By Selma Oransay

The World Health Organization defined infertility as the inability to conceive after 12 months of regular unprotected intercourse or after six months of fertility-focused intercourse. Depending on the chronic inflammatory character and causing adhesion formations within the peritoneum, endometriosis is…

Key Points Lay Summary

Peritoneal fluid in young women with endometriosis

Peritoneal fluid in young women with endometriosis By Selma Oransay

Many blood substances are present in peritoneal fluid due to their derivation from the transudation of blood through the peritoneal surface. Ectopic endometriotic lesions can also change the medium to contribute to the definition of the local environment of the…

Key Points Lay Summary

Why is there a higher risk of stroke for women with endometriosis?

Why is there a higher risk of stroke for women with endometriosis? By Eylül GÜN

Women diagnosed with endometriosis might face an increased susceptibility to stroke due to alterations in the levels of some molecules in their systems. Studies indicate that especially those undergoing hysterectomy/oophorectomy, have an approximately 30% higher risk of stroke. Dr. Mormile…

Key Points Lay Summary

Endometriosis and the risk to have mental disorders

Endometriosis and the risk to have mental disorders By Hale Goksever Celik

The most common clinical findings of endometriosis patients are pelvic pain and fertility problems, resulting in impairment of quality of life. These women are also affected regarding psychological health due to disease-associated symptoms. Dr. Wang et al., from Taiwan, published…

Key Points Lay Summary

Study Identifies Potential New Theraputic Target in Endometriosis

Study Identifies Potential New Theraputic Target in Endometriosis By Özge Özkaya

Lactate could drive the progression of endometriosis by upregulating the expression of a gene called HMGB1, according to a new study published in the Journal of Biomedical Research. This finding identifies novel targets for the prevention and treatment of endometriosis.…

Key Points Lay Summary

Is Your Surgeon Stressed?

Is Your Surgeon Stressed? By Özge Özkaya

Stress during endometriosis surgery among surgeons is greater than what they anticipate, according to a new study published in the scientific journal Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica. The stress symptoms reported by surgeons start before surgery and is more common among…

Key Points Lay Summary

Endometriosis and the risk of breast cancer

Endometriosis and the risk of breast cancer By Selma Oransay

An increased risk of cancer with endometriosis has been in the attention field of endometriosis researchers since 1925, starting with Sampson. Several large meta-analyses supported the increased risk of clear cell and endometrioid ovarian cancer in women with deep infiltrating endometriosis. Breast…

Key Points Lay Summary

A herbal product has promising results in experimental endometriosis

A herbal product has promising results in experimental endometriosis By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

Neroli oil (bitter orange) is a nontoxic volatile substance from the flowers of Citrus aurantium that belongs to the Rutaceae family. This oil has notable anti-inflammatory effects besides potent antioxidant activity with 100% singlet oxygen scavenging activity. Contemporary pathophysiological views…

Key Points Lay Summary

The effect of medical treatment on sexual function and quality of life in women with endometriosis

The effect of medical treatment on sexual function and quality of life in women with endometriosis By Hale Goksever Celik

Women with endometriosis suffer from dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia and chronic pelvic pain, all of which has significant negative consequences on their physical and psychological health regarding sexual function, work and social relationships. Biasioli et al. from Italy, published an article entitled…

Key Points Lay Summary

Family history of endometriosis and its characteristics

 Family history of endometriosis and its characteristics By Selma Oransay

Depression and migraine are two familial disorders affected by menstrual cycle and endometriosis patients have an increased likelihood of suffering from these comorbidities. A correlation of endometriosis, migraine and depression has been already reporteed in the literature, however a link for…

Key Points Lay Summary

Study Finds Link Between Exposure to Pollutants and Increased Riks of Endometriosis

Study Finds Link Between Exposure to Pollutants and Increased Riks of Endometriosis By Özge Özkaya

High concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in urine may be associated with a higher risk of endometriosis, according to a new study published in the scientific journal Environmental Science and Pollution Research. The study also found that the concentration of…

Key Points Lay Summary

"Ovarian Reserve Markers" in Peritoneal Endometriosis

By Selma Oransay

Endometriosis-related subfertility is attributed to multiple factors, including mechanical obstructions, adhesions, pelvic inflammation, and diminished ovarian reserve. Serum anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) levels and ovarian antral follicle counts (AFC) currently serve as fertility markers to diagnose decreased ovarian reserve and failure.…

Key Points Lay Summary

Robotic Surgery For Endometriosis

Robotic Surgery For Endometriosis By Özge Özkaya

Robotic surgery is an option for the treatment of severe endometriosis, according to the results of a preliminary comparative study published in the Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology. However, the approach is associated with higher costs.  “Next studies should identify…

Key Points Lay Summary

Coupled torture due to endometriosis and depressive symptoms

Coupled torture due to endometriosis and depressive symptoms By Eylül GÜN

Endometriosis significantly impacts various aspects of women's lives including their physical and mental health, careers, and social relationships. Physically, it causes chronic pelvic pain and dyspareunia, affecting 5-10% of reproductive-age women and leading to infertility challenges and a substantial percentage…

Key Points Lay Summary

Quantification of nerve bundle density as a biomarker for endometriosis utilizing PGP9.5 immunostaining

Quantification of nerve bundle density as a biomarker for endometriosis utilizing PGP9.5 immunostaining By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

Scientists from Netherlands and Canada have published their authentic study on immunohistochemically assessed nerve fiber bundles of endometriotic tissues in a recent issue of  Frontiers in Reproductive Health. Endometriotic tissues have nerve fibers which are stimulated in inflammatory processes leading…

Key Points Lay Summary

The urgent need for research and compassionate care in endometriosis

The urgent need for research and compassionate care in endometriosis By Eylül GÜN

Endometriosis, a common yet little-known inflammatory disorder, has significant patient and public health impacts due to underinvestment in its research and care. Delayed diagnosis and inadequate care persist due to reliance on surgical methods and limited advancements in medical therapies.…

Key Points Lay Summary

Embryo Morphokinetics of Endometriotic Patients by Time Lapse Monitoring

Embryo Morphokinetics of Endometriotic Patients by Time Lapse Monitoring By Selma Oransay

Many studies showed adverse effects of endometriosis on oocyte quality due to increased apoptosis and dysregulation of molecular pathways related to the development and growth of granulosa cells resulting on developmental arrest in embryos of women with endometriosis. Time-lapse monitoring…

Key Points Lay Summary

Cells Constituting Endometriosis Have Different Properties

Cells Constituting Endometriosis Have Different Properties By Özge Özkaya

Many cell types are altered in endometriosis, found a new study published in the Journal of Pathology. The study also found that depending on the subtype of endometriosis, endometriosis cells show signatures of estrogen responsiveness, immunologic cytotoxicity, and proinflammation. Finally, it identified…

Key Points Lay Summary

Novel high-risk candidate genes for familial endometriosis

Novel high-risk candidate genes for familial endometriosis By Hale Goksever Celik

Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory disease with a genetic background resulting in familial clustering. Although multiple susceptibility loci have been identified in genome-wide association studies, high-risk predisposing variants have not been defined yet. A group of scientists from Finland, published a study…

Key Points Lay Summary

Gene Expression Profiles of Endometriosis and Personalized Treatment

Gene Expression Profiles of  Endometriosis and Personalized Treatment By Bahar Yuksel

The study lead by Dr.McKinnon from the Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Australia, aimed to understand the gene expression profiles of different endometriosis lesion subtypes and their response to hormonal treatment. The researchers analyzed gene expression data…

Key Points Lay Summary

Perception of quality of professional healthcare in Italian patients with endometriosis

 Perception of quality of professional healthcare in Italian patients with endometriosis By Selma Oransay

According to the Italian Ministry of Health, the prevalence rate of endometriosis among women in their reproductive age is 10-15%. Many of them suffer from intense pain and a poor quality of life due to diagnostic delay. The average delay…

Key Points Lay Summary

Increasing awareness of the scientific community on nano-particles for endometriosis.

Increasing awareness of the scientific community on nano-particles for endometriosis. By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

Academicians from various disciplines from multiple Italian institutions have published their review on the possible role of nanotechology to deal with the management of endometriosis in a recent issue of scientific periodical Nanoscale. Nanotechnology is the science and engineering where…

Key Points Lay Summary

Neurotrophins proposed as possible biomarkers for endometriosis

Neurotrophins proposed as possible biomarkers for endometriosis By Eylül GÜN

As the search for a good-quality biomarker in endometriosis continues, certain growth factors have been investigated for their roles in the pathophysiology of the disease. Neurotrophins, as regulators of neuronal development and survival, are also known to take part in…

Key Points Lay Summary

Diagnosis and the Treatment of Postmenopausal Endometriosis

Diagnosis and the Treatment of Postmenopausal Endometriosis By Selma Oransay

About 190 million women around the world are diagnosed with endometriosis. The majority of the cases are between 30 and 40 years of age. After menopause, the incidence of endometriosis declines to 2-5%, and it is more common in women…

Key Points Lay Summary

Potential New Therapeutic Avenue for Deep Endometriosis

Potential New Therapeutic Avenue for Deep Endometriosis By Özge Özkaya

The use of lipid nanoparticles carrying methotrexate seems to be safe and feasible in women with deep infiltrating endometriosis, according to a new study published in the scientific journal Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics. The approach could, therefore, be a new…

Key Points Lay Summary

A non-invasive test to determine the risk of endometriosis in women having chronic pelvic pain or unexplained infertility

A non-invasive test to determine the risk of endometriosis in women having chronic pelvic pain or unexplained infertility By Hale Goksever Celik

Women having endometriosis may suffer from chronic pelvic pain and/or infertility, both of which diminish the quality of life in these women. Minimalization of the time between the onset of symptoms and diagnosis is essential to improve patients’ lives. However,…

Key Points Lay Summary

Could H1-antihistamines be beneficial in endometriosis management ?

Could H1-antihistamines be beneficial in endometriosis management ? By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

K. B. Manthra, PhD, a postdoctoral researcher from the University of Minnesota has written a “clinical opinion” in a recent issue of the periodical American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Global Reports. Endometriosis is currently regarded as a chronic inflammatory…

Key Points Lay Summary

Quality of life analyses among women with endometriosis

 Quality of life analyses among women with endometriosis By Selma Oransay

Clinical factors that may affect the quality of life in women with endometriosis are mental health, sexual life, working capacity, and social relations. Symptom severity, especially dysmenorrhea, heavy periods, pelvic pain, and infertility complaints, are the most disturbing factors in…

Key Points Lay Summary

New developments in endometriosis from a molecular and cellular standpoint

New developments in endometriosis from a molecular and cellular standpoint By Eylül GÜN

Researchers are making significant progress in endometriosis regarding molecular and cellular research, with collaborative efforts by clinicians, scientists, surgeons, and biostatisticians. Laganà et al. from Italy wrote an editorial regarding the recent special issue called "Molecular and Cellular Advances in Endometriosis Research…

Key Points Lay Summary

The type of surgical approach compared to complications and recurrence for colorectal endometriosis

The type of surgical approach compared to complications and recurrence for colorectal endometriosis By Hale Goksever Celik

Women with endometriosis may have extension and infiltration of the intestine, called "colorectal endometriosis, in up to 12%. The main symptoms are alterations in bowel habits, pelvic pain, and/or infertility. The gold standard management option for colorectal endometriosis is surgical…

Key Points Lay Summary

Deep infiltrating endometriosis and postoperative pregnancy outcomes

Deep infiltrating endometriosis and postoperative pregnancy outcomes  By Selma Oransay

Although the current ESHRE guidelines state that there is no strong evidence to support surgical intervention to improve the spontaneous pregnancy rate in women with deep infiltrating endometriosis and advise Assisted reproduction technology irrespective of the severity of endometriosis, several studies…

Key Points Lay Summary

Reviewing all you want to know on endometriosis !

Reviewing all you want to know on endometriosis ! By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

Academicians from the International University of Sarajevo, Bosnia, and Lincoln Medical School, UK have written a comprehensive updated review on endometriosis covering many aspects of endometriosis and published their paper as an open-access manuscript in the journal “Pathology-Research and Practice”. …

Key Points Lay Summary

A synopsis of deep infiltrating endometriosis of the digestive system

A synopsis of deep infiltrating endometriosis of the digestive system By Eylül GÜN

The gastrointestinal tract is one of the most common locations of extrapelvic endometriosis. Its infiltrative counterpart exhibits more aggressive behavior and often needs to be distinguished from malignancies clinically. Yin et al. from Harbin, China reviewed the latest findings regarding…

Key Points Lay Summary

Blood-based biomarkers for the detection of endometriosis and adenomyosis

Blood-based biomarkers for the detection of endometriosis and adenomyosis By Eylül GÜN

One of the biggest challenges in endometriosis management is the delay in diagnosis. Scientists have been trying to come up with biomarkers to detect it quicker. Thinking blood-based biomarkers could aid in earlier diagnosis and help with the duly administration…

Key Points Lay Summary

Monitoring eating behavior is important

Monitoring eating behavior is important By Selma Oransay

The relationship between dietary products and endometriosis gained interest after the recognition that a proper diet can improve pathological and physiological processes. There is also a belief that the benefits of some anti-oxidants may have a therapeutic effect on the…

Key Points Lay Summary

Asia-Pacific: Expert panel's suggestions for improving endometriosis-related health issues

Asia-Pacific: Expert panel's suggestions for improving endometriosis-related health issues By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

"Endometriosis should be diagnosed as early as possible for the sake of the patients" and the Asia-Pacific Endometriosis Expert Panel sought to address the reasons for diagnostic delays in this part of the world and published a consensus report in…

Key Points Lay Summary

Mediterranean Diet Associated With Less Endometriosis Pain?

Mediterranean Diet Associated With Less Endometriosis Pain? By Özge Özkaya

There seems to be a link between pain relief in endometriosis and a Mediterranean diet, according to a new study published in the International Journal of Science. This finding suggests that a Mediterranean diet could help manage chronic pain in…

Key Points Lay Summary

Sacral neuromodulation for endometriosis-related chronic pelvic pain

Sacral neuromodulation for endometriosis-related chronic pelvic pain By Selma Oransay

Sacral neuromodulation is a therapeutic technique that involves electrical stimulation of a sacral nerve route to modulate a neural pathway. The device is an implantable neurostimulator, and the procedure is a minimally invasive procedure with good long-term outcomes. This technique…

Key Points Lay Summary

Endometriosis in Asia

Endometriosis in Asia By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

Academicians from the University of Philippines led by Dr. Velarde have published a recent review on endometriosis and Asian women in the scientific periodical “Endocrine Connections”. The endometriosis prevalence rate is variable among ethnicities, and Asian women including Filipinos, Indians, Japanese,…

Key Points Lay Summary

The Importance of "uterine adenogenesis" in endometriosis development

The Importance of By Eylül GÜN

Understanding the complex pathogenetic mechanisms underlying endometriosis has been a big challenge. Several studies have demonstrated that the eutopic and ectopic endometrium exhibit distinct characteristics. Researchers led by Signorile et al. from Italy conducted a review of the recent developments…

Key Points Lay Summary

No increased risk of major postoperative complications in women operated by experienced surgeons in endometriosis centers

No increased risk of major postoperative complications in women operated by experienced surgeons in endometriosis centers By Hale Goksever Celik

Recurrent surgery may be needed in up to 35% of endometriosis patients. The reason for repeated surgery may be residual or recurrent disease. In other words, multiple surgical procedures are a common phenomenon for women having endometriosis. Knowing the impact…

Key Points Lay Summary

The overlap of endometriosis and polycystic ovarian syndrome

The overlap of endometriosis and polycystic ovarian syndrome By Eylül GÜN

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common causes of female subfertility similar to endometriosis. It has been hypothesized that owing to the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms, women with endometriosis are at a greater risk of having PCOS than…

Key Points Lay Summary

Hazardous substances in pollution and relationship with endometriosis.

Hazardous substances in pollution and relationship with endometriosis. By Selma Oransay

Vallée and colleguages. from the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health of Foch Hospital, France, recently published a narrative review about environmental pollution and its association with endometriosis in BJOG. They used the existing English literature to discuss the association…

Key Points Lay Summary

Clinical Trial Tested Safety of Potential New Drug to Manage Endometriosis

Clinical Trial Tested Safety of Potential New Drug to Manage Endometriosis By Özge Özkaya

The non-peptide gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist SHR7280 has favorable safety, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics in 3 different doses, according to the results of a phase 1 clinical trial published in the scientific journal Clinical Pharmacokinetics. “The results of this study provide evidence to…

Key Points Lay Summary

Endometriosis and breast cancer- love or hate?

Endometriosis and breast cancer- love or hate? By Bahar Yuksel

Many studies have been conducted to investigate the relationship between endometriosis and breast cancer, but no definitive conclusion has been reached yet. In the study co-authored by Yan and Li et al, endometriosis-related GWAS data was used to determine the…

Key Points Lay Summary

Robotic Surgery Not Linked With More Complications in Certain Cases

Robotic Surgery Not Linked With More Complications in Certain Cases By Özge Özkaya

Robotic-assisted excision surgery to treat large rectal endometriotic nodules larger than 3 cm is not associated with a higher risk of complications following the operation compared to conventional laparoscopy, according to a new study published in the journal Colorectal Diseases.…

Key Points Lay Summary

Live Birth Rate for ovarian stimulation protocols after laparoscopic endometrioma cystectomy.

Live Birth Rate for ovarian stimulation protocols after laparoscopic endometrioma cystectomy. By Selma Oransay

The laparoscopic cystectomy of the ovaries is the first-line infertility treatment in patients with endometriomas. However, a possible diminished ovarian capacity after cystectomy with ovarian failure to respond to the gonadotropin stimuli seems an undesirable result of this procedure. Controlled…

Key Points Lay Summary

A suggestion for a novel in vitro diagnostic test for endometriosis

A suggestion for a novel in vitro diagnostic test for endometriosis By Eylül GÜN

As the research continues to find a gold standard non-invasive diagnostic method for endometriosis, there still is no definitive answer. One of the most commonly studied markers is Cancer Antigen 125 (CA125) – a biomarker that is secreted from the…

Key Points Lay Summary

Underestimation of Dysmenorrhea in adolescents

Underestimation of Dysmenorrhea in adolescents By Hale Goksever Celik

Women with endometriosis may suffer from painful symptoms, especially during menstruation or sexual intercourse. One of the main etiologic reasons for secondary dysmenorrhea is endometriosis, and it has a poor impact on life quality. Underestimation of dysmenorrhea and consideration of…

Key Points Lay Summary

Menstruating eye: Very rare but possible

Menstruating eye: Very rare but possible By Eylül GÜN

Extragenital cyclical bleeding during a menstrual cycle is called vicarious menstruation and it is mostly reported to be seen in the nasal mucosa but can involve any other organ such as the lungs, stomach, kidney, etc. Endometriosis is a common…

Key Points Lay Summary

Perioperative complications of outpatient surgery for endometriosis.

Perioperative complications of outpatient surgery for endometriosis. By Selma Oransay

Surgical treatment of endometriosis plays an essential role in managing the disease. They are miscellaneous perioperative complications such as incomplete removal of the lesions, low quality of the first surgery, or incorrect approach to laparoscopic surgeries that result in increased…

Key Points Lay Summary

Vicious cycle: The promoting role of previous endometriosis foci for new lesions

Vicious cycle:  The promoting role of previous endometriosis foci for new lesions By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

An experimental animal study on the pathogenesis of endometriosis from the Institute for Clinical and Experimental Surgery, Saarland University, Hamburg has been published in a recent issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences. Endometriosis is a well-known common gynecological ailment…

Key Points Lay Summary

Comparison of two different surgical approach to deep colorectal endometriosis in terms of postoperative outcomes.

Comparison of two different surgical approach to deep colorectal endometriosis in terms of postoperative outcomes. By Selma Oransay

Deep colorectal endometriosis affects one-fifth of women with endometriosis, which is commonly associated with more pelvic pain and severe gastrointestinal symptoms. Three surgical approaches for deep colorectal endometriosis are segmental colorectal resection, full-thickness discoid resection, and shaving operation. Choosing the…

Key Points Lay Summary

Women With Endometriosis Willing to Participate in Research

Women With Endometriosis Willing to Participate in Research By Özge Özkaya

Women with endometriosis are open to participating in research, according to a new Australian study published in the journal "Medicina (Kaunas)". This way, they said, “they felt aligned with their needs, with a significant focus on diagnostic tools and symptom…

Key Points Lay Summary

The relationship between lipids and estrogen in endometriosis

The relationship between lipids and estrogen in endometriosis By Eylül GÜN

Lipid metabolism plays important roles in many physiological and pathological conditions such as the storage of energy, immune system functions, steroid hormone production, inflammation, and chronic diseases such as diabetes mellitus and hyperlipidemia. In an attempt to figure out the…

Key Points Lay Summary

Omitted facet of endometriosis : mental health related to stigma

Omitted facet of endometriosis : mental health related to stigma By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

A team of clinical psychologists involved in women’s health led by Deniz Kocas has published a recent review on the mental health aspect of endometriosis patients in the European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology. Endometriosis is a notoriously…

Key Points Lay Summary

Peritoneal Endometriosis and Acyclical pelvic pain

Peritoneal Endometriosis and Acyclical pelvic pain By Eylül GÜN

The most debilitating symptom of endometriosis is chronic pelvic pain. The peripheral nervous system is affected and the growth and regeneration of sensory nerve fibers in endometriotic tissue has been identified. The first line treatment which is hormonal therapy for…

Key Points Lay Summary

Endometrioma surgery and the ovarian reserve

Endometrioma surgery and the ovarian reserve By Selma Oransay

Traditionally, cystectomy is the gold standard for surgical approach owing to the reduced risk of recurrence. Still, it may lead to a reduction in postoperative ovarian volume and can be a cause of ovarian failure. The recent conservative surgical management of…

Key Points Lay Summary

Peritoneal endometriosis and Peritoneal Immunity

Peritoneal endometriosis and Peritoneal Immunity By Selma Oransay

The peritoneum is an important immune barrier where, under normal conditions, it is balanced. External stimuli cause pro-inflammatory responses. To bring balance to this undesired situation, anti-inflammatory factors come into play. However, in patients with endometriosis, cytotoxicity of T lymphocytes,…

Key Points Lay Summary

Endometriosis Associated With Metabolic Syndrome

Endometriosis Associated With Metabolic Syndrome By Özge Özkaya

There seems to be a link between endometriosis and metabolic conditions, according to a new study published in the scientific journal Gynecological Endocrinology. This finding suggests that close attention should be paid to metabolic conditions in women with endometriosis and…

Key Points Lay Summary

Endometriosis and Physical Activity

Endometriosis and Physical Activity By Hale Goksever Celik

Endometriosis causes abstinence from their daily life, especially during painful periods. Decreased physical function might result in reduced physical activity. Sachs et al., from Switzerland, published a study titled “Physical Activity in Women with Endometriosis: Less or More Compared with…

Key Points Lay Summary

Alterations of mitochondrial dynamics in endometriosis

Alterations of mitochondrial dynamics in endometriosis By Eylül GÜN

Mitochondria are known as the batteries of the cell with the ATP that they produce through oxidative phosphorylation. Mitochondrial dynamics are important mechanisms for mitochondria to maintain their integrity by continuously undergoing changes. Mitochondrial fusion is the joining of two…

Key Points Lay Summary

Exploring endometriosis symptoms and their effects on women's lives

Exploring endometriosis symptoms and their effects on women's lives By Eylül GÜN

Endometriosis symptoms, their severity, and the way they affect patients' lives may vary. With the aim of investigating different personal experiences and perceptions of endometriosis symptoms and the way they impact women's daily lives, Hunsche and colleagues from Switzerland and…

Key Points Lay Summary

Healthcare Seeking Behaviour May Be Sign of Endometriosis

Healthcare Seeking Behaviour May Be Sign of Endometriosis By Özge Özkaya

Women with endometriosis had a higher utilization of primary and secondary healthcare in the 10 years before receiving a diagnosis, found a new study published in the scientific journal Human Reproduction.  “With this knowledge, healthcare professionals could be better at relating…

Key Points Lay Summary

Elevated iron levels in "endometriosis pathogenesis"

Elevated iron levels in By Selma Oransay

The presence of abnormal levels of iron and ferritin in endometriotic lesions is likely due to repeated bleeding episodes. When red blood cells break down, the iron content is released, which can cause inflammation leading to damage to surrounding tissues.…

Key Points Lay Summary

A pioneering study on clinicopathologic features of biopsies of endometriotic lesions

A pioneering study on clinicopathologic features of biopsies of endometriotic lesions By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

Deep infiltrating endometriosis, where endometriotic lesions have an invasion depth of ≥5mm to the underlying tissues, is well known due to the troublesome features, peritoneal endometriosis is very common and widely distributed by superficial involvement in the pelvic visceral and…

Key Points Lay Summary

The Molecular Mechanisms of how herbal medicine Actaea racemosa modulates Endometriosis Progression

The Molecular Mechanisms of how herbal medicine Actaea racemosa modulates Endometriosis Progression By Bahar Yuksel

Increased proliferation, dysregulated apoptosis, and a pro-inflammatory and oxidative environment are the hallmarks of endometriosis. In the article published in the Journal of Molecular Sciences, penned by Livia Interdonato et al, the molecular mechanisms of the extract from a plant…

Key Points Lay Summary

Treatment of superficial dyspareunia using topical estrogens in postmenopausal women with a history of endometriosis

Treatment of superficial dyspareunia using topical estrogens in postmenopausal women with a history of endometriosis By Hale Goksever Celik

Genitourinary syndrome of menopause is defined as a collection of symptoms and signs caused by hypoestrogenic changes to the labia majora/minora, clitoris, vestibule/introitus, vagina, urethra, and bladder that occur in menopausal patients. Sexual dysfunction and superficial dyspareunia can be experienced…

Key Points Lay Summary

Assessing endometrial receptivity using menstrual blood samples in patients undergoing in-vitro fertilization

Assessing endometrial receptivity using menstrual blood samples in patients undergoing in-vitro fertilization By Eylül GÜN

Endometrial receptivity is the endometrium's capacity to allow the embryo the chance to adhere, infiltrate, and develop while ensuring an ideal microenvironment. When impaired, it is one of the two major factors contributing to infertility along with embryo quality by…

Key Points Lay Summary

A review for genetics of endometriosis.

A review for genetics of endometriosis. By Selma Oransay

There is an increased risk of developing endometriosis among first-degree relatives, which can raise suspicions of the role of genetic factors in endometriosis. Genome-wide association studies and next-generation sequencing have identified numerous genetic loci and variants relating to the disease.…

Key Points Lay Summary

A comparative analysis of male and female perspectives on sexuality in couples dealing with endometriosis

A comparative analysis of male and female perspectives on sexuality in couples dealing with endometriosis By Eylül GÜN

Sexual relationships of patients with endometriosis have been an area of research lately, however, studies have focused mostly on female perceptions and opinions leaving out the males.  Helfenstein et al. from Switzerland, Germany, and Austria conducted a multicenter cohort study…

Key Points Lay Summary

Study May Explain How Tubal Endometriosis Causes Infertility

Study May Explain How Tubal Endometriosis Causes Infertility By Özge Özkaya

Tubal endometriosis damages the epithelial ultrastructure of the fallopian tubes or the tubes connecting the ovaries to the uterus along which an egg travels each month ready to be fertilized by a sperm cell. This could help explain why tubal…

Key Points Lay Summary

Is continuous hormonal treatment safe and healthy method for endometriotic patients?

Is continuous hormonal treatment safe and healthy method for endometriotic patients? By Selma Oransay

One of the studies related to the search for new markers in pathophysiologic causes of endometriosis is circulating microparticles and their subset "tissue factor". In response to damage, activation, or apoptosis, these microparticles are found in human plasma, urine, saliva,…

Key Points Lay Summary

Toxic metal cadmium and Endometriosis

Toxic metal cadmium and Endometriosis By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

Data analyst Mandy Hall and and colleagues from the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Michigan State University, USA, have published their results on cadmium levels and endometriosis in a recent issue of “Human Reproduction”. In 2020 the World Health Organization…

Key Points Lay Summary

Novel surgical solutions for catamenial pneumothorax

Novel surgical solutions for catamenial pneumothorax By Eylül GÜN

Catamenial pneumothorax is a spontaneous pneumothorax that occurs during or right after menstruation and is thought to be caused by thoracic endometriosis that includes the diaphragm, lung, and parietal pleura. The solution is surgical removal of endometrial lesions, however, a…

Key Points Lay Summary

A new classification called ENDOGRADE to rate surgical complexity in deep endometriosis.

A new classification called ENDOGRADE to rate surgical complexity in deep endometriosis. By Selma Oransay

Correlation with patient outcomes could not be identified in most endometriosis classification systems including the commonly used revised ASRM. Therefore, in addition to grading the depth and invasion pattern of the lesions, there is a need for a classification system to…

Key Points Lay Summary

Preoperative flexible sigmoidoscopy in patients with deep infiltrating endometriosis

Preoperative flexible sigmoidoscopy in patients with deep infiltrating endometriosis By Hale Goksever Celik

Deep infiltrating endometriosis is defined as endometriotic lesions extending 5 mm or more below the peritoneal surface. Women with deep endometriosis have rectovaginal lesions affecting the tissue adjacent to, or directly involving the rectum and/or rectosigmoid colon with a 90%…

Key Points Lay Summary

Women With Endometriosis More Likely to Also Have Non-Specific Symptoms

Women With Endometriosis More Likely to Also Have Non-Specific Symptoms By Özge Özkaya

Women with endometriosis are more likely to report menstrual symptoms, according to a new study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. However, they are also at an increased risk of mental health disorders, other pain symptoms, bowel,…

Key Points Lay Summary

The compliance for post-surgical follow-ups after endometriosis surgery

The compliance for post-surgical follow-ups after endometriosis surgery By Selma Oransay

. The patient's adherence to follow-ups after surgery is essential as it is the only way to evaluate the surgery's benefits in improving pain symptoms and recurrences, measuring the quality of life, and fertility outcomes. . Dr. Szabo and his…

Key Points Lay Summary

Does ZEB1 Gene Expression Govern Endometriosis Infiltration Pattern?

Does ZEB1 Gene Expression Govern Endometriosis Infiltration Pattern? By Özge Özkaya

The expression of a gene called ZEB1 is different between different types of endometriosis, found a new study published in the European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology. This could affect whether or not lesions become infiltrative.   More importantly,…

Key Points Lay Summary

Review of neutrophil based scientific research in endometriosis

Review of neutrophil based scientific research in endometriosis By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

Xinlei Wang and associates from Jilin University, Changchun, China, have published a comprehensive review on the pathogenetic role of neutrophils in endometriosis in a recent issue of the periodical  “Mediators of inflammation”. As a common inflammatory condition where endometrial tissue…

Key Points Lay Summary

Unveiling the Immunological Puzzle: Modulation of Biomarkers in Endometriosis by Progestin Therapy

Unveiling the Immunological Puzzle: Modulation of Biomarkers in Endometriosis by Progestin Therapy By Bahar Yuksel

The study by Daniela Roxana Matasariu et al., aimed to investigate the effects of progestin treatment on the expression of biomarkers in endometriosis, specifically focusing on osteopontin and CD44; and their potential role in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. The researchers…

Key Points Lay Summary

Moderate-to-severe Endometriosis and "The Cumulative live birth rate" in IVF Cycles

Moderate-to-severe Endometriosis and By Hale Goksever Celik

Infertility is one of the major symptoms in women with endometriosis. The incidence of endometriosis is approximately 10% in reproductive-aged women and up to 40-50% in infertile women. There are multifactorial mechanisms resulting in endometriosis-associated infertility such as anatomic distortion, impaired…

Key Points Lay Summary

"Transumblical single-port laparoscopy" for deep infiltrating endometriosis.

By Selma Oransay

Deep infiltrating endometriosis patients have multi-system involvements, severe pelvic adhesions, and pelvic pain. Dyspareunia, dysmenorrhea, infertility, gastrointestinal symptoms, and lower urinary tract symptoms seriously affect their quality of life. Although hormonal therapy may be the first choice for treating endometriosis,…

Key Points Lay Summary

The public plea of international group of "endometriosis experts"

The public plea of international group of By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

A group of international “endometriosis experts” led by Professor Philippe R. Koninckx from Belgium, have published their unique scientific paper “The 10 “Cardinal Sins” in the Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment of Endometriosis: A Bayesian Approach” in a recent issue of…

Key Points Lay Summary

Role of peritoneal dendritic cells in endometriosis development

Role of peritoneal dendritic cells in endometriosis development By Eylül GÜN

Dendritic cells (DCs), essential antigen-presenting cells bridging innate and adaptive immunity, play a pivotal role in immune response modulation. They capture process, and present antigens, facilitating T-cell activation. DCs also promote self-tolerance by releasing tolerogenic cytokines, contributing to autoimmune disease…

Key Points Lay Summary

Dienogest versus combined oral contraceptives treatment in postoperative endometriosis care

Dienogest versus combined oral contraceptives treatment in postoperative endometriosis care By Selma Oransay

Dienogest is a synthetic progestin derivative, like oral contraceptives, used to prevent endometriosis recurrence after surgery. Randomized clinical trials verified a significantly higher reduction in endometriotic lesions, clinical symptoms, and improved quality of life obtained when dienogest was given to…

Key Points Lay Summary

Endometriosis of the skeletal muscular system

Endometriosis of the skeletal muscular system By Eylül GÜN

Endometriosis of the skeletal muscular system (ESMS) is characterized by the presence of endometrial cells in skeletal muscles, bones, or joints. Despite its rare occurrence, ESMS has been reported in various muscle and joint locations, leading to atypical symptoms and…

Key Points Lay Summary

New SMS Program Available for Endometriosis Patients

New SMS Program Available for Endometriosis Patients By Özge Özkaya

Researchers from Australia developed a supportive short message service (SMS) program for endometriosis patients. The program aims to support women living with endometriosis to manage their condition. The program called 'EndoSMS" was designed based on the needs and preferences of…

Key Points Lay Summary

A Starch-Based Gel Barrier Reduces Pain and Improves Fertility After Endometriosis Surgery

A Starch-Based Gel Barrier Reduces Pain and Improves Fertility After Endometriosis Surgery By Özge Özkaya

The development of pain was reduced in women with endometriosis who underwent surgery for deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) resection and the "gel barrier 4DryField® PH" was used during the operation, according to results from a randomized controlled trial. Moreover, fertility was improved. "4DryField® PH"…

Key Points Lay Summary

Are women with endometriosis more prone to pregnancy loss?

Are women with endometriosis more prone to pregnancy loss? By Hale Goksever Celik

Endometriosis is a gynecological disease of reproductive-aged women who may suffer from reproductive outcomes such as infertility, miscarriage, and recurrent pregnancy loss. Pregnancy loss is the spontaneous loss of a pregnancy until 22 weeks of gestation including spontaneous abortion, missed…

Key Points Lay Summary

Telemedicine for endometriosis

Telemedicine for endometriosis By Eylül GÜN

The COVID-19 pandemic led to the widespread adoption of telemedicine, allowing healthcare professionals to provide care remotely using technology. Telemedicine has proven successful in various medical fields. In obstetrics and gynecology, implementing telemedicine became crucial, especially for conditions like endometriosis.…

Key Points Lay Summary

Harnessing the Power of the Immune System: The Potential of Immunotherapy for Treating Endometriosis

Harnessing the Power of the Immune System: The Potential of Immunotherapy for Treating Endometriosis By Bahar Yuksel

The review article by Wenshu Li et al. discusses the potential of immunotherapy as a novel treatment for endometriosis and the potential to overcome possible side effects and recurrence rates related to conventional therapies. The article explains how immunotherapy, which…

Key Points Lay Summary

Postoperative outcomes of laparoscopic rectosigmoid resection for bowel endometriosis.

Postoperative outcomes of laparoscopic rectosigmoid resection for bowel endometriosis. By Selma Oransay

Rectosigmoid endometriosis comprises 80-85% of all bowel endometriosis cases and can be localized in the rectovaginal septum, uterosacral ligaments, retro-cervical region, and parametrium. Symptoms of rectosigmoid endometriosis include abdominal bloating, constipation-diarrhea, lower-back pain, dyschezia, and sometimes cyclic rectal bleeding. Minimally…

Key Points Lay Summary

Ultrasound and #Enzian Classification for Endometriosis

Ultrasound and #Enzian Classification for Endometriosis By Özge Özkaya

The #Enzian classification can ensure endometriosis is systematically described and classified, which can “greatly facilitates communication between physicians and patients, sonographers and surgeons,” according to an editorial article by Drs. Jörg Keckstein and Markus Hoopmann published in the European Journal of…

Key Points Lay Summary

Pain Scoring System for Deep Endometriosis

 Pain Scoring System for Deep Endometriosis By Selma Oransay

The numeric pain scale is commonly used to interpret pain score values. According to the National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines, pain scores of 4-7 points indicate moderate, and  8-10 points indicate severe pain. Patients with a local pain score of…

Key Points Lay Summary

Sexual activity during menstruation: Any impact on endometriosis development?

Sexual activity during menstruation: Any impact on endometriosis development? By Eylül GÜN

Retrograde menstruation is among the theories for the etiology of endometriosis and there is a hypothesis that sexual activity during menstruation could potentially increase retrograde menstruation, leading to the implantation of endometrial tissue in other areas and consequently increasing the…

Key Points Lay Summary

Ovarian cancers arising in endometriosis: still an unresolved issue

Ovarian cancers arising in endometriosis: still an unresolved issue By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

Alice Bergamini and associates from San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy have published their results on clinicopathologic features of endometriosis-associated ovarian cancers in a recent issue of the journal “Diagnostics”. The association between endometriosis and ovarian cancer was first noticed…

Key Points Lay Summary

Outcomes of improving chronic pelvic pain with "immersive digital therapeutics" at home.

Outcomes of improving chronic pelvic pain with By Selma Oransay

Studies have shown that virtual reality can effectively treat acute pain experienced by burn victims, during labor, dental surgery, or for chronic musculoskeletal, neuropathic, and cancer pain. Considering the effectiveness of treating chronic pelvic pain at home, Merlot et al.…

Key Points Lay Summary

Endometriosis and Genetic Polymorphisms in Proinflammatory Cytokines

Endometriosis and Genetic Polymorphisms in Proinflammatory Cytokines By Hale Goksever Celik

Several pathophysiological mechanisms have been proposed for the chronic inflammatory nature of endometriosis, such as retrograde menstruation, coelomic metaplasia, hormonal change, oxidative stress and inflammation, immune dysfunction, and apoptosis suppression. One of the most widely accepted theories in recent years…

Key Points Lay Summary

Autoimmune Disorders in Women with Endometriosis May Impair Embryo Implantation

Autoimmune Disorders in Women with Endometriosis May Impair Embryo Implantation By Bahar Yuksel

The retrospective study by Noemi Salmeri reports the effect of concomitant autoimmune disorders on the ability of the endometrium to support embryo implantation in women with endometriosis who underwent assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatments. The study involved 600 women with…

Key Points Lay Summary

A new potential biomarker proposal from leukorrhea of endometriosis patients

A new potential biomarker proposal from leukorrhea of endometriosis patients By Eylül GÜN

Endometriosis is typically diagnosed through laparoscopic surgery, which can be invasive and discourages some patients from participating. Therefore, there is a need for a non-invasive diagnostic method. Exosomes, small vesicles containing biological information, can be found in almost every type…

Key Points Lay Summary

Outcomes of chronic pelvic pain after niche repair

Outcomes of chronic pelvic pain after niche repair By Selma Oransay

Rapidly increasing cesarian section rates in recent years increased the cesarian scar defects and the development of "isthmoceles". Isthmocele is a myometrial lesion located around the isthmic portion of the uterus that is a myometrial discontinuity or hypoechoic triangle in…

Key Points Lay Summary

Conditioned medium from adipose tissue derived stem cells for endometriosis treatment

Conditioned medium from adipose tissue derived stem cells for endometriosis treatment By Eylül GÜN

Despite the effectiveness of both surgical and medical treatments in addressing complications related to endometriosis, there is still a high recurrence rate indicating the need for the development of novel therapeutic approaches to enhance the effectiveness of endometriosis treatment. Adipose-derived…

Key Points Lay Summary

Preoperative MRI Scoring System Could Ensure Women Are Fully Informed

Preoperative MRI Scoring System Could Ensure Women Are Fully Informed By Özge Özkaya

The Deep Pelvic Endometriosis Index is able to predict the length of surgery and hospital stay as well as complications following surgery including voiding dysfunction, according to a new multicenter cohort study, the results of which were published in The Journal…

Key Points Lay Summary

Changes over time in day surgery for endometriosis in Canada

Changes over time in day surgery for endometriosis in Canada By Hale Goksever Celik

There are several medical and surgical treatment options for the management of endometriosis. Surgical approach is generally preferred in women with atypical endometrioma appearance on ultrasound, and who have persistent pain despite medical treatment. Surgery is often the first choice…

Key Points Lay Summary

Getting help from water to replace colonoscopy and MRI for the diagnosis of deep bowel endometriosis.

Getting help from water to replace colonoscopy and MRI for the diagnosis of deep bowel endometriosis. By Bahar Yuksel

This retrospective study by Martyna Masternak et al. discusses the use of rectal water contrast transvaginal ultrasound (RWC-TVS) as a tool for assessing deep bowel endometriosis. The study explains how the procedure is minimally invasive, and how it involves filling…

Key Points Lay Summary

Menopause-management strategies for women with endometriosis.

Menopause-management strategies for women with endometriosis. By Selma Oransay

Menopausal hormonal therapy is the most effective treatment for menopausal symptoms, such as hot flushes, sweating, sleep disturbances, mood changes, and joint pain. Approximately 75% of all women experienced some degree of these symptoms, while 2-4% were diagnosed with endometriosis. Menopausal…

Key Points Lay Summary

Questionnaire Can Assess Patient-Centerdness of Endometriosis Care

Questionnaire Can Assess Patient-Centerdness of Endometriosis Care By Özge Özkaya

European patients with endometriosis think that “reaching a diagnosis quickly” and “physicians demarcating the endometriosis complexity level which they can treat” are important aspects of their care, according to a new study published in the scientific journal Best Practice & Research…

Key Points Lay Summary

Melatonin for endometriosis-associated pain

Melatonin for endometriosis-associated pain By Eylül GÜN

Treatment options for endometriosis-associated pain include analgesics, hormonal therapy, and surgery. However, these treatments may be ineffective for some women, leading to a search for alternative approaches. Melatonin, a hormone involved in regulating sleep-wake cycles, possesses anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and anti-estrogenic…

Key Points Lay Summary

Spheroids: 3D-mini-models for Understanding Endometriosis

Spheroids: 3D-mini-models for Understanding Endometriosis By Bahar Yuksel

The pathogenesis of endometriosis is not fully understood, and there is a need for better models to study the disease. Spheroids are 3D clusters of cells that mimic the structure and function of endometrial tissue. These mini models have several…

Key Points Lay Summary

New Model Can Help Understand How Endometriosis-Associated Ovarian Cancer Develops

New Model Can Help Understand How Endometriosis-Associated Ovarian Cancer Develops By Özge Özkaya

Researchers from Japan and the US developed a new mouse model in collaboration, that can be useful to better understand how endometriosis-associated ovarian cancer develops. This new model can help to assess new treatment options for both diseases. The team…

Key Points Lay Summary

Limitations of current surgical classification systems for endometriosis.

Limitations of current surgical classification systems for endometriosis. By Selma Oransay

Many classification systems for endometriosis have been developed since the 1970s, and in a 2021 review, more than 20 of those systems were identified. The best-known and most frequently used are rASRM (revised  American Society of Reproductive Medicine), the Enzian…

Key Points Lay Summary

Meningioma risk in women with endometriosis using Nomegestrol acetate

Meningioma risk in women with endometriosis using Nomegestrol acetate By Hale Goksever Celik

Women with endometriosis mostly suffer from symptoms such as chronic pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, and infertility. Early diagnosis and management have importance as endometriosis impairs the quality of life and creates a serious social and economic burden. There are different…

Key Points Lay Summary

Endometriosis and Progesterone Resistance

Endometriosis and Progesterone Resistance By Selma Oransay

Progesterone resistance is the unresponsiveness of endometrium with subsequent dysregulation of the progesterone signaling pathway, and endometrial gene works. Progestins, on the other hand, are the first-line treatment choice, especially for long-term treatment of endometriosis. In the clinics, one-third of…

Key Points Lay Summary

Headaches Appear Years Before a Diagnosis of Endometriosis

Headaches Appear Years Before a Diagnosis of Endometriosis By Özge Özkaya

Headache is associated with different forms of migraine, is related to pain, and often appears before diagnosis in women with endometriosis, according to a new study published in the scientific journal Reproductive Biomedicine Online. This knowledge can help ensure women with…

Key Points Lay Summary

Interleukin-35 expression in B lymphocytes: A new potential biomarker?

Interleukin-35 expression in B lymphocytes: A new potential biomarker? By Eylül GÜN

Regulatory T-cells (Tregs) and B-cells (Bregs) play a crucial role in establishing tolerance to self-antigens and suppressing immune activity. Therefore, in endometriosis, they are requisite for the endometriotic cells to survive outside the uterus. They suppress immune activity by producing…

Key Points Lay Summary

Unraveling the Role of Vascularization in Deep Endometriosis

Unraveling the Role of Vascularization in Deep Endometriosis By Bahar Yuksel

The systematic review by Simon G. Powell published in the journal Cells, analyzed 15 studies including 1125 women with deep infiltrative endometriosis up to March 2023 in several databases and found that angiogenesis plays a crucial role in the growth…

Key Points Lay Summary

Does ovarian endometrioma affect embryo aneuploidy rate in fertile women?

Does ovarian endometrioma affect embryo aneuploidy rate in fertile women? By Hale Goksever Celik

One of the most common clinical findings of women with endometriosis is the decline in fertility status. These women often benefit from in vitro fertilization methods to become pregnant. However, whether there is a detrimental effect of endometriosis on oocyte and…

Key Points Lay Summary

When to start ART after laparoscopic treatment of endometriosis?

When to start ART after laparoscopic treatment of endometriosis? By Selma Oransay

Laparoscopy combined with histopathologic confirmation of endometriosis is the reference standard for diagnosing endometriosis. Additionally, laparoscopic surgery is considered the most effective way to approach infertility induced by endometriosis. The surgical factors influencing the outcome of treating the infertility of…

Key Points Lay Summary

Nutritional recommendations for endometriosis patients

Nutritional recommendations for endometriosis patients By Eylül GÜN

Diet and lifestyle factors have been implicated in the development and progression of endometriosis, in addition to genetic determinants. Piecuch et al. from Poland conducted a review study discussing the importance of different nutrients and nutritional recommendations in endometriosis. The…

Key Points Lay Summary

Novel Diagnostic Strategies for the Detection of Malignant Transformation of Endometriosis

Novel Diagnostic Strategies for the Detection of Malignant Transformation of Endometriosis By Bahar Yuksel

Endometriotic implants can grow on various organs and tissues in the pelvis, leading to pain, infertility, and other symptoms. Most cases of endometriosis are benign and there is a small risk of malignant transformation. The review conducted by Dr. Hiroshi…

Key Points Lay Summary

Improving the quality of life: The role of cognitive behavioral therapy after endometriosis surgery

Improving the quality of life: The role of cognitive behavioral therapy after endometriosis surgery By Eylül GÜN

Endometriosis and its symptoms have been associated with poor mental health and reduced quality of life. Cognitive behavioral therapy is recognized as an effective psychological treatment for managing depression, anxiety, and stress. Although surgery for endometriosis improves a patient's quality…

Key Points Lay Summary

The effect of glucocorticoid use on clinical pregnancy rates

The effect of  glucocorticoid use on clinical pregnancy rates By Selma Oransay

The preference to use glucocorticoids such as dexamethasone, prednisone, and methylprednisolone, along with IVF-ET cycles is due to the diminishing inflammatory response and suppressing immunity. Thus, while autoimmune diseases are suppressed with glucocorticoid administration, the success rate in the implantation…

Key Points Lay Summary

A rare and challenging site for endometriosis: Pancreas

A rare and challenging site for endometriosis: Pancreas By Eylül GÜN

Pancreas presents as a rare site for extragenital endometriosis. Gkegkes et al. performed a systematic review of the literature on pancreatic endometriosis. The article was published in the Jan-Feb 2023 issue of the journal Annals of Gastroenterology. A comprehensive search…

Key Points Lay Summary

Pregnancy and Endometriosis: The Hidden Risk of Gestational Diabetes

Pregnancy and Endometriosis: The Hidden Risk of Gestational Diabetes By Bahar Yuksel

Getting pregnant with endometriosis may be challenging. Besides, that pregnancy is a high-risk pregnancy. According to the recent meta-analysis led by Dr.Vigano, the risk of gestational diabetes increases in endometriosis patients. The study performed database searches on PubMed, Medline, Embase, and…

Key Points Lay Summary

The cost-effectiveness of different GnRH agonist regimes for progestogen-resistant endometriosis.

The cost-effectiveness of different GnRH agonist regimes for progestogen-resistant endometriosis. By Selma Oransay

Surgical and medical treatments are currently used to treat the pelvic pain caused by endometriosis. Respected guidelines recommend using progestins with or without estrogens as first-line medical treatment due to their safety, effectiveness, inexpensive, and tolerability. However, one-third to one-quarter…

Key Points Lay Summary

The effect of dienogest vs ethynyl estradiol/dienogest on quality of life in women with endometriosis

The effect of dienogest vs ethynyl estradiol/dienogest on quality of life in women with endometriosis By Hale Goksever Celik

Women with endometriosis suffer from dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, and chronic pelvic pain that diminishes the quality of their life. Both physical and mental components of quality of life have been affected by endometriosis-associated symptoms. There are several medical and surgical treatment…

Key Points Lay Summary

Exploring tissue origins and age characteristics in endometriosis

Exploring tissue origins and age characteristics in endometriosis By Eylül GÜN

Despite its widespread occurrence, the precise factors leading to endometriosis and the nature of its symptoms remain uncertain. To better understand the disease and improve treatment, Leap et al. from the US and Austria explored the use of DNA methylation…

Key Points Lay Summary

Exploring the Potential Impact of Prenatal Testosterone on Endometriosis

Exploring the Potential Impact of Prenatal Testosterone on Endometriosis By Bahar Yuksel

The exact causes of endometriosis still remain uncertain but emerging evidence suggests that prenatal factors may contribute to its development. In the review study by Bernard J Cresp et al, the authors discuss the hormonal environment during prenatal development and…

Key Points Lay Summary

Another New Approach Could Help Diagnose deep Infiltrating endometriosis

Another New Approach Could Help Diagnose deep Infiltrating endometriosis By Özge Özkaya

Elastography could help distinguish deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) nodules from non-endometriotic tissue at different locations, according to a new study published in Ultraschall in der Medizin - European Journal of Ultrasound. The potential of the technique in improving the diagnosis…

Key Points Lay Summary

The role of IL-33 and "T-regs" in lesion progression and fibrosis in endometriosis

The role of IL-33 and By Eylül GÜN

It has been recognized that immune regulation likely plays a crucial role in endometriosis. Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are important immune regulators, and studies have linked Tregs to endometriosis development through signaling pathways involving TGF-β1 and PDGF. IL-33, an inflammatory…

Key Points Lay Summary

Ultrasonographic findings predicting parametrial deep endometriosis

Ultrasonographic findings predicting parametrial deep endometriosis By Selma Oransay

Transvaginal ultrasonographic evaluation is the primary imaging technique to rule out deep endometriosis. Although the International Deep Endometriosis Analysis Group (IDEA) published a consensus to standardize the nomenclature of ultrasonographic pelvic examination in women with suspected deep endometriosis, parametrial deep endometriosis…

Key Points Lay Summary

Deep Infiltrating Endometriosis and Adenomyosis have different genetic pathways

 Deep Infiltrating Endometriosis and Adenomyosis have different genetic pathways By Bahar Yuksel

It is still not defined whether adenomyosis is also a deep endometriosis component or not. In the study conducted by Marshall et al, the researchers compared the gene expression patterns between deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) and adenomyosis uteri in order…

Key Points Lay Summary

Endometriosis diet and the quality of life

Endometriosis diet and the quality of life By Hale Goksever Celik

Women with endometriosis suffer mainly from pelvic pain which results in a negative effect on the quality of life. Although several treatment options have been proposed, some endometriosis patients still have poor quality of life due to pelvic pain. Upon…

Key Points Lay Summary

Surgery for Deep Endometriosis

Surgery for Deep Endometriosis By Selma Oransay

In recent years, minimally invasive surgery has gained popularity, providing the best results in gynecologic cancers and deeply infiltrated endometriosis. With the help of a high-definition camera displayed on a TV monitor, the small structures are enlarged 4-7 times and…

Key Points Lay Summary

Neuroendocrine pathway in endometriosis-related infertility

Neuroendocrine pathway in endometriosis-related infertility By Eylül GÜN

Dr. Robert Taylor from Jacobs School of Medicine, University at Buffalo presented on the newly defined neuroendocrine pathway and its role in endometriosis-related infertility and how implantation and pregnancy establishment might be disrupted in endometriosis at the Annual International Medical Conference of…

Key Points Lay Summary

From inflammation to remission: The promising role of jun kinase inhibitors in endometriosis

From inflammation to remission: The promising role of jun kinase inhibitors in endometriosis By Eylül GÜN

Stephen Palmer from Baylor College of Medicine presented his speech at the Annual International Medical Conference of the Endometriosis Foundation of America held in New York on April 1-2, 2023. Dr. Palmer began his talk with a philosophy and a personal statement “Endometriosis is…

Key Points Lay Summary

The #Enzian classification, an essential tool for surgical management of severe endometriosis

The #Enzian classification, an essential tool for surgical management of severe endometriosis By Hale Goksever Celik

The lecture entitled "The #Enzian classification, an essential tool for surgical management of severe endometriosis" was presented by Professor. Jörg Keckstein, from the University Ulm, Germany, at the Annual International Medical Conference of the Endometriosis Foundation of America held in New York on…

Key Points Lay Summary

Endometriosis disease modelling via induced pluripotent stem cells has been successful

Endometriosis disease modelling via induced pluripotent stem cells has been successful By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

J. Julie Kim, S. Y. Hung Research Professor and Professor of ObGyn, Reproductive Science in Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, has delivered a conference at the  Annual International Medical Conference of the Endometriosis Foundation of America held in New York on April 1-2,…

Key Points Lay Summary

​Insights into immune dysfunction in endometriosis - Chandrakant Tayade, DVM, PhD

​Insights into immune dysfunction in endometriosis - Chandrakant Tayade, DVM, PhD By Bahar Yuksel

In his speech presented at the Annual International Medical Conference of the Endometriosis Foundation of America held in New York on April 1-2, 2023, Dr. Tayade talks about the relationship between endometriosis and the immune system. Dr. Tayade begins by emphasizing the significance of…

Key Points Lay Summary

Which surgery for deep endometriosis? Laparoscopic shaving or rectal resection?

 Which surgery for deep endometriosis? Laparoscopic shaving or rectal resection? By Selma Oransay

This keynote lecture entitled "Deep endometriosis: The place of laparoscopic shaving" was presented by Dr. Jacques Donnez, the director of the infertility research unit at the Catholic University of Louvain, Brussels, Belgium, at the Annual International Medical Conference of the Endometriosis Foundation…

Key Points Lay Summary

Preclinical organ-on-chip models of endometriosis lesions - Linda Griffith, PhD

Preclinical organ-on-chip models of endometriosis lesions - Linda Griffith, PhD By Özge Özkaya

Professor Linda Griffith, Professor of Biological and Mechanical Engineering and the director of the Center for Gynepathology Research at Massachusetts Institute of Technology gave a presentation about their preclinical organ on-chip models of endometriosis lesions at the 14th Annual International…

Key Points Lay Summary

Epigenetic defects of stromal cells in endometriosis and adenomyosis lead to estrogen sensitivity

Epigenetic defects of stromal cells in endometriosis and adenomyosis lead to estrogen sensitivity By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

Serdar Bulun, MD, J.J. Sciarra Professor and Chair Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois has delivered a conference on “Endometriosis and adenomyosis: single-cell genome-wide approaches” at the Annual International Medical Conference of the Endometriosis Foundation…

Key Points Lay Summary

2023 MedicalConferance: Pros and cons of hormonal interventions for endometriosis - Sarah Berga, MD

2023 MedicalConferance: Pros and cons of hormonal interventions for endometriosis - Sarah Berga, MD By Bahar Yuksel

Prof. Berga, MD., who is the Chair of Ob&Gyn at Jacobs School Medicine and Biomed Sciences, presented this speech at the 2023 EFA Medical Conference. Dr. Berga explains that the primary goals of endometriosis treatment are to reduce pain and improve quality…

Key Points Lay Summary

Is there any advantage of addition of hysterectomy on deep endometriotic pelvic pain or on the quality of life?

Is there any advantage of addition of hysterectomy on deep endometriotic pelvic pain or on the quality of life?  By Selma Oransay

 The addition of hysterectomy and salpingo-oophorectomy to the endometriosis excision surgery provided greater benefits when compared to excision surgery alone, according to the results of a comparison study that was recently published in the journal named "Facts Views and Visions in Obstetrics…

Key Points Lay Summary

Stem cells could be a good choice for therapeutic steps in many gynecologic disorders, including endometriosis

Stem cells could be a good choice for therapeutic steps in many gynecologic disorders, including endometriosis By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

Dr. Liu from the First Hospital of Jilin University, China, and colleagues from China and the USA have published their comprehensive review on the therapeutic gateways of stem cells in female genital tract disorders in a recent issue of Life…

Key Points Lay Summary

A self-diagnostic tool that predicts the likelihood of endometriosis

A self-diagnostic tool that predicts the likelihood of endometriosis By Bahar Yuksel

Early diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis are crucial for preventing these negative outcomes, but the disease is often difficult to diagnose due to a lack of specific symptoms and reliable diagnostic tests. Goldstein et al. aimed to develop a machine-learning…

Key Points Lay Summary

 The relationship between p53 gene polymorphism and endometriosis

 The relationship between p53 gene polymorphism and endometriosis By Eylül GÜN

The p53 gene is a well-known tumor suppressor gene that plays a crucial role in preventing cancer by regulating cell growth and division. Recent studies suggest that the p53 gene may also be linked to endometriosis. To investigate the relationship…

Key Points Lay Summary

Anti-IL-8 antibody ameliorates inflammation and fibrosis: A promising treatment for endometriosis

Anti-IL-8 antibody ameliorates inflammation and fibrosis: A promising treatment for endometriosis By Eylül GÜN

Endometriosis is a condition associated with chronic inflammation and fibrosis, and there are limitations and side effects with current treatments such as hormonal therapy and surgery. Interleukin-8 (IL-8) and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP1) are inflammatory cytokines that play a crucial…

Key Points Lay Summary

Antioxidant astaxanthin has promising effects on endometriosis-related infertility.

Antioxidant astaxanthin has promising effects on endometriosis-related infertility. By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

Dr. Rostami and colleagues from the Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran, have published a pioneering clinical study on the effects of antioxidant astaxanthin supplementation in infertile endometriosis patients in the scientific journal named Frontiers in Endocrinology. A complicated network…

Key Points Lay Summary

Transvaginal Hydro laparoscopy for diagnosing and treatment of early stages of endometriosis

Transvaginal Hydro laparoscopy for diagnosing and treatment of early stages of endometriosis By Selma Oransay

Transvaginal hydro laparoscopy is a minimally invasive procedure that allows the exploration of the female pelvis. An obliterated Douglas pouch by a fixed retroverted uterus, an ovarian endometrioma greater than 2 cm, and the presence of deeply infiltrated endometriosis are…

Key Points Lay Summary

First-line surgery or first-line ART: A real challenge both for the clinicians and infertile women having DIE without colorectal involvement

First-line surgery or first-line ART: A real challenge both for the clinicians and infertile women having DIE without colorectal involvement By Hale Goksever Celik

Deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) is defined as the presence of endometriotic lesions over 5 mm in depth under the peritoneal surface. These women suffer from chronic pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, chronic pelvic pain, bloody or painful bowel movements, and infertility. There…

Key Points Lay Summary

Insights into the experiences of people with endometriosis during COVID-19 pandemic

Insights into the experiences of people with endometriosis during COVID-19 pandemic By Selma Oransay

During the isolation of Covid 19 pandemic period, the most critical issue was healthcare access for patients. This was worse for patients who had chronic illnesses. Endometriosis is one of these chronic illnesses that need regular care, pain relievers, and…

Key Points Lay Summary

Serum Galectin-9 : A promising marker for endometriosis diagnosis

Serum Galectin-9 : A promising marker for endometriosis diagnosis By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

Dr. Jarollahi and colleagues from Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran have published their research on serum levels of Galectin-9 as a noninvasive marker for endometriosis in the "Journal of Reproduction & Infertility". Endometriosis imposes a great challenge in the…

Key Points Lay Summary

Women With Chronic Pelvic Pain Have a Negative Experience With Doctors

Women With Chronic Pelvic Pain Have a Negative Experience With Doctors By Özge Özkaya

Women with chronic pelvic pain have a negative experience with the healthcare system, according to a study by US researchers published in the International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. This is the case regardless of whether or not they have…

Key Points Lay Summary

Does Endometriosis Surgery Increase the Rate of Pregnancy?

Does Endometriosis Surgery Increase the Rate of Pregnancy? By Özge Özkaya

Surgery to treat colorectal endometriosis leads to a high rate of pregnancy following the operation, found a new study published in the Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology. The authors of the study said, “studies with a high level of evidence…

Key Points Lay Summary

Histopathologic examination always has the final word in tubal endometriosis

Histopathologic examination always has the final word in tubal endometriosis By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

Hai-Ning Jiao and coworkers from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, China, reported the salient features of 30 tubal endometriosis cases in the World Journal of Clinical Cases. Tubal endometriosis is characterized…

Key Points Lay Summary

New adapted ESHRE guidelines for endometriosis.

New adapted ESHRE guidelines for endometriosis. By Selma Oransay

Eun Hee Yu and Jong Kil Joo from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Pusan National University School of Medicine, Republic of Korea, published a commentary on the 2022 ESHRE guidelines, referring to the representative changes and important updates in a recently…

Key Points Lay Summary

A Multidisciplinary Surgical Team Is a Must in Deep Endometriosis Surgery

A Multidisciplinary Surgical Team Is a Must in Deep Endometriosis Surgery By Özge Özkaya

Endometriosis must be managed by a team of multidisciplniary specialists, especially in case it causes damage to the digestive tract, according to a new study published in the journal Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics. According to the authors, the presence…

Key Points Lay Summary

A review of multimodal imaging modalities for endometriosis.

A review of multimodal imaging modalities for endometriosis. By Selma Oransay

Since there is a lack of non-invasive biomarkers to diagnose endometriosis clinically, imaging techniques such as transvaginal ultrasonography and MRI have significant importance in preoperative endometriosis diagnosis. These imaging techniques allow appropriate surgical planning before laparoscopic excision, especially in deeply…

Key Points Lay Summary

Antiinflammatory lactoferrin molecule and antibody levels in endometriosis patients

Antiinflammatory lactoferrin molecule and antibody levels in endometriosis patients By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

A Japanese clinical research team led by Dr. Kaya Mori-Yamanaka from Shiga University of Medical Science Hospital, Otsu, Shiga, Japan, published their pioneering study on the role of serum lactoferrin and anti-lactoferrin antibody levels in endometriosis in a recent issue of…

Key Points Lay Summary

Importance of dynamic cystoscopy for bladder endometriosis.

Importance of dynamic cystoscopy for bladder endometriosis. By Bahar Yuksel

Bladder endometriosis is a rare type of endometriosis but when diagnosed it requires extensive surgical procedures which include bladder resections. Thus, diagnosis and proper treatment are vital. In the study conducted in Brazil, the authors questioned the accuracy of applying…

Key Points Lay Summary

Laparoscopic resection of bladder endometriosis

 Laparoscopic resection of bladder endometriosis By Selma Oransay

When we talk about deep-infiltrating endometriosis, one of the most commonly affected organs in the urinary tract is the bladder, with a prevalence of 80%. Bladder endometriosis can be defined as the existence of the endometrial glands and stroma inside…

Key Points Lay Summary

Current AAGL Staging System Not Good at Predicting Complexity of Endometriosis Surgery

Current AAGL Staging System Not Good at Predicting Complexity of Endometriosis Surgery By Özge Özkaya

The link between the stage of endometriosis as defined by the American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists (AAGL) and the level of surgical complexity is weak or moderate, according to a new study published in the Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology. …

Key Points Lay Summary

Postoperative pregnancy outcomes in women with deep infiltrating endometriosis

Postoperative pregnancy outcomes in women with deep infiltrating endometriosis By Hale Goksever Celik

Subperitoneal invasion of endometriotic lesions exceeding 5 mm in depth is named "deep infiltrating endometriosis' and can be located on uterosacral ligaments, in the intestine, vagina, bladder, and ureter. Women with deep infiltrating endometriosis suffer from pelvic pain and infertility most…

Key Points Lay Summary

This time it is good to have this stress: Endoplasmic reticulum stress and endometriosis.

This time it is good to have this stress: Endoplasmic reticulum stress and endometriosis. By Bahar Yuksel

Endometriosis is a hormone-based inflammatory disease. Cell-level therapeutic options are very popular when resistance to cell death capacity of endometriotic cells is on the table. In the review conducted by Hussein Riyadh Abdul Kareem Al‑Hetty et al, the authors summarized…

Key Points Lay Summary

Comparison of two surgical approaches for endometriosis.

Comparison of two surgical approaches for endometriosis. By Selma Oransay

Endometriosis is one of the causes of infertility in women. But the pathophysiology of infertility caused by endometriosis is not yet clear. Hormonal disorders, abnormal peritoneal function, distorted pelvic anatomy, and multiple cesarean deliveries are among the accused.  Dr. Li…

Key Points Lay Summary

Is there a way for a nonaddictive opioid for endometriosis pain?

Is there a way for a nonaddictive opioid for endometriosis pain? By Bahar Yuksel

Endometriosis is a neuro-inflammatory disease whose current medical treatment is hormonal therapy. Given the side effects and the possible interactions between the opioid system and pain mechanisms, a new opioid medication might be promising. in the review conducted by Dr.Mechsner et…

Key Points Lay Summary

From Finland : How to increase health issues in endometriosis patients

From Finland : How to increase health issues in endometriosis patients By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

Dr. Henna-Riikka Rossi and associates from the University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland have published their recent prospective cohort study on possible existing comorbidities of endometriosis patients in the journal Fertility and Sterility. Endometriosis is an estrogen-dependent chronic ailment affecting about…

Key Points Lay Summary

Endometriosis awarness for the Gastroenterologists.

Endometriosis awarness for the Gastroenterologists. By Selma Oransay

Women with endometriosis can develop chronic abdominal pain and/or abnormal bowel habits more than eight times compared to women without endometriosis. For this reason, an undiagnosed patient with endometriosis may be referred to a gastroenterologist and remain in a situation…

Key Points Lay Summary

Comparison of different IVF stimulation protocols for pregnancy success in infertile endometriosis patients

Comparison of different IVF stimulation protocols for pregnancy success in infertile endometriosis patients By Hale Goksever Celik

Women with endometriosis may suffer from reproductive problems up to an incidence of 50%. Several pathophysiological mechanisms including anatomic distortion, alterations in endometrial receptivity, diminished tubal peristalsis and sperm movements are the most responsible for the development of endometriosis-associated infertility.…

Key Points Lay Summary

Is alcohol a risk factor for endometriosis?

Is alcohol a risk factor for endometriosis? By Eylül GÜN

As complex and unclear as endometriosis pathogenesis is, the influence of environmental factors on the inflammation that underlies the pathogenesis of endometriosis has been thoroughly investigated. Lifestyle factors such as diet, caffeine, environment, smoking, and alcohol consumption have been explored…

Key Points Lay Summary

Hypoxia and endometriosis: A review of mechanisms

Hypoxia and endometriosis: A review of mechanisms By Eylül GÜN

Various mechanisms have been suggested to explain the development of endometriosis lesions. One of these is hypoxia, which can induce changes in endometrial cells, but the exact mechanism is not yet clear. Zhou et al from China wrote a review…

Key Points Lay Summary

Is the pathogenesis of endometriosis hidden in immune-related gene profiles ?

Is the pathogenesis of endometriosis hidden in immune-related gene profiles ? By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

Yanan He and colleagues from the Department of Gynecology, Harbin Medical University, China  have published their manuscript on potential immune markers in endometriosis in a recent issue of  “Journal of Immunology Research” Pathophysiologic mechanisms involving endometriosis are complicated and have…

Key Points Lay Summary

GnRH Antagonists Can Effectively Reduce Endometriosis Pain

GnRH Antagonists Can Effectively Reduce Endometriosis Pain By Özge Özkaya

Oral gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonists are effective in reducing pain associated with endometriosis in 12 weeks, according to a new study published in the scientific journal Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics. The safety and efficacy of most drugs were dose-dependent…

Key Points Lay Summary

The effectiveness of acupuncture in the treatment of dysmenorrrhea

The effectiveness of acupuncture in the treatment of dysmenorrrhea By Selma Oransay

Asymptomatic endometriosis does not adversely affect women's quality of life and mental health. But the quality of life of women with endometriosis who suffer endometriosis-related pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, and dysuria declines as they become more susceptible to anxiety and…

Key Points Lay Summary

Activities of cytotoxic cells in endometriosis

Activities of cytotoxic cells in endometriosis By Eylül GÜN

Immunological dysfunction is thought to be involved in the etiopathogenesis of endometriosis, leading to defective immunosurveillance and the growth of endometriotic lesions. In this pathway, reduced cytotoxicity of peripheral and peritoneal natural killer (NK) cells is seen as a contributing…

Key Points Lay Summary

Conventional IVF or ICSI: Which one is more accurate in endometriosis-related infertility?

Conventional IVF or ICSI: Which one is more accurate in endometriosis-related infertility? By Hale Goksever Celik

Although the prevalence of endometriosis is 10-15% in the general population at reproductive age, it is diagnosed more frequently in infertile women with a prevalence of 25-40%. Although the exact mechanism explaining the association between endometriosis and infertility has not…

Key Points Lay Summary

The optimal endometrial preparation protocol in FET cycles of women with endometriosis.

The optimal endometrial preparation protocol in FET cycles of women with endometriosis. By Selma Oransay

Endometriosis can create infertility and may require treatment with assisted reproductive technology (ART) to induce pregnancy. However, the current literature rarely discusses the optimal endometrial preparation protocol in thawed-frozen embryo transfer (FET) cycles for endometriotic patients. Dr.Jin. group from the Reproductive…

Key Points Lay Summary

How Can Endometriosis Care Be Improved?

How Can Endometriosis Care Be Improved? By Özge Özkaya

Researchers identified 61 areas for improvement in endometriosis care based on the answers of endometriosis patients. Of these the top five areas of improvement were to train caregivers in order to develop their knowledge about endometriosis, to provide better management…

Key Points Lay Summary

Evaluation of the postoperative disability in women with endometriosis.

 Evaluation of the postoperative disability in women with endometriosis. By Selma Oransay

Endometriosis is a chronic disease with a prevalence of 4,4% in women of reproductive age. It is also estimated that 23,8 of infertile women have endometriosis. Pelvic pain, dyschezia, dysmenorrhea, and dysuria are the symptoms of this disease that negatively…

Key Points Lay Summary

The most common gynecologic admissions to the emergency: Endometriosis and adenomyosis

The most common gynecologic admissions to the emergency: Endometriosis and adenomyosis By Hale Goksever Celik

Women with endometriosis demand therapy for the most common symptoms, which are pelvic pain and infertility. Adenomyosis occurs when the endometrial glandular and stromal tissue grows into the muscular wall of the uterus, called the myometrium. Women having adenomyosis also…

Key Points Lay Summary

The emotions and experiences of women with endometriosis during and after pregnancy

The emotions and experiences of women with endometriosis during and after pregnancy By Eylül GÜN

It is well-known that endometriosis patients have a high rate of infertility and a hard time getting pregnant compared to women without endometriosis. Despite the belief that pregnancy can alleviate endometriosis symptoms, some studies have shown that women with endometriosis…

Key Points Lay Summary

Relation between hormone replacement therapy and postmenopausal endometriosis.

Relation between hormone replacement therapy and postmenopausal endometriosis. By Bahar Yuksel

The faith of endometriosis after oophorectomy with hysterectomy is unknown. It is clear that applying only a hysterectomy but leaving the affected tissue behind is not a solution for endometriosis-related symptoms. Either total clearance or leaving endometriotic tissues behind when…

Key Points Lay Summary

Endometriosis Seems to Increase the Risk of Preeclampsia

Endometriosis Seems to Increase the Risk of Preeclampsia By Özge Özkaya

Women with endometriosis who conceive spontaneously, i.e. without the help of assisted reproductive technologies seem to be at a higher risk of preeclampsia, according to a new study published in the Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology. However, endometriosis does not…

Key Points Lay Summary

Economic burden while living with endometriosis.

Economic burden while living with endometriosis. By Bahar Yuksel

Endometriosis is a debilitating disease when all the symptoms are considered. Besides mental and physical effects, the economic burden is also a problem for the patients. In the study conducted by Josep Darbà et al, the costs of endometriosis have…

Key Points Lay Summary

Diaphragmatic Endometriosis: a Call for Awareness

Diaphragmatic Endometriosis: a Call for Awareness By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

Dr. Pagano and colleagues from the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University of Bern, Switzerland, have published a prospective cohort study on diaphragmatic involvement in endometriosis patients in a recent issue of “The Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology”. Endometriosis is…

Key Points Lay Summary

Iron and toxic environmental elements in ovarian endometriomas

Iron and toxic environmental elements in ovarian endometriomas By Selma Oransay

It is well-known that the growth of endometriotic lesions is estrogen-dependent and supported by inflammatory processes. In addition to oxidative stress, it is believed that several other factors, including chemicals and environmental factors, and genetic predisposition may play a potential…

Key Points Lay Summary

Women With More Severe Endometriosis Have Fewer Eggs

Women With More Severe Endometriosis Have Fewer Eggs By Özge Özkaya

Severe endometriosis negatively affects ovarian response and the quality of oocytes and embryos, according to a new study published in JBRA Assisted Reproduction. However, the rate of fertilization does not seem to be affected by endometriosis stage.  These findings could…

Key Points Lay Summary

Endometriosis-Associated Pain: The Role of Sensitization

Endometriosis-Associated Pain: The Role of Sensitization By Eylül GÜN

As the most common symptom of the disease, endometriosis-associated pain (EAP) is experienced as dysmenorrhea, non-cyclical pelvic pain, and cyclical pain related to organ function. EAP is contributed to by different mechanisms, including local factors, peripheral sensitization, central sensitization, cross-sensitization,…

Key Points Lay Summary

Ultrasonographic Presurgical Staging and Classification of Endometriosis

 Ultrasonographic Presurgical Staging and Classification of Endometriosis By Selma Oransay

Laparoscopic surgery is the gold standard for diagnosing endometriosis, but a preoperative imaging procedure is strongly recommended. Transvaginal sonography by a skilled examiner is not inferior to MRI diagnostics regarding sensitivity and specificity in predicting the extension of deep endometriosis.  …

Key Points Lay Summary

Molecular Alterations in Ovarian Endometriosis

Molecular Alterations in Ovarian Endometriosis By Elisabetta Kuhn

Endometriosis is a benign disease with biological features characteristic of malignant tumors, such as invasiveness and migration abilities. In epithelial malignant tumors, it is believed that epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), that is, the switch of an epithelial phenotype versus a mesenchymal…

Key Points Lay Summary

Sexual function in infertile women with PCOS and endometriosis

Sexual function in infertile women with PCOS and endometriosis By Hale Goksever Celik

Women with endometriosis suffer from several symptoms and signs including dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, chronic pelvic pain, and infertility which have a detrimental effect on their quality of life. Sexual dysfunction also is a common problem for endometriosis patients due to complex…

Key Points Lay Summary

Transvaginal ultrasound or MRI for retroflexed uterus in endometriosis

Transvaginal ultrasound or MRI for retroflexed uterus in endometriosis By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

Dr Matsuda and colleagues from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan have published their study evaluating the effectiveness of transvaginal ultrasound on the diagnosis of uterine retroflexion in a recent issue of “Journal of Nippon…

Key Points Lay Summary

Imaging techniques for fallopian tubes

Imaging techniques for fallopian tubes By Selma Oransay

The imaging techniques used for suspected fallopian tube pathology are ultrasound, hysterosalpingo-contrast-sonography, hysterosalpingography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging. Among several benign lesions that involve fallopian tubes, pelvic inflammatory disease, tubo-ovarian abscess, salpingitis isthmica nodosa, hydrosalpinx, tubal endometriosis, isolated fallopian…

Key Points Lay Summary

Do not underestimate the power of red blood cell evaluation in endometriosis

Do not underestimate the power of red blood cell evaluation in endometriosis By Eylül GÜN

In an effort to develop an easy-to-use diagnostic marker, research has focused on the pro-inflammatory nature of endometriosis and the raised levels of inflammatory markers. The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has emerged as one of these markers. Moreover, endometriosis has been…

Key Points Lay Summary

Gastrointestinal symptoms in colorectal deep endometriosis

Gastrointestinal symptoms in colorectal deep endometriosis By Eylül GÜN

The colon, particularly the recto-sigmoid is the most commonly involved area in deep endometriosis. These patients suffer from gastrointestinal symptoms almost as much as pelvic pain symptoms the most common being reported as frequent and painful defecation. Gastrointestinal symptoms may…

Key Points Lay Summary

Diagnostic criteria for uterosacral ligament involvement in endometriosis.

Diagnostic criteria for uterosacral ligament involvement in endometriosis. By Selma Oransay

Transvaginal ultrasonography is often used to diagnose endometriosis in suspected women due to its high resolution, low cost, and relatively low discomfort. Histologic confirmation of laparoscopically removed specimens is still the gold standard for appropriate diagnosis.  The team led by…

Key Points Lay Summary

Scientific unfolding will lead new drug targets

Scientific unfolding will lead new drug targets By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

Drs. Dolmans and Donnez from academic institutions located in Brussels, Belgium, have published their comprehensive review on the current pathophysiological concepts in endometriosis with possible drug treatment potentials in the recent issue of a scientific journal named “Biomolecules”.  As a…

Key Points Lay Summary

The "Painful Periods Screening Tool" Could Speed Endometriosis Diagnosis

The By Özge Özkaya

The Painful Periods Screening Tool (PPST) is a useful tool for women with endometriosis, according to a new study published in the scientific journal Reproductive Sciences. The study's authors said that the tool “ facilitated communication between patients and providers…

Key Points Lay Summary

Endometriosis and the body perception

Endometriosis and the body perception By Hale Goksever Celik

The most common endometriosis-associated symptoms are pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, and infertility. Women with endometriosis should be managed due to the significant impact of these symptoms on their quality of life. Body perceptions of these women are also affected depending…

Key Points Lay Summary

 Adverse pregnancy outcomes and endometriosis.

 Adverse pregnancy outcomes and endometriosis. By Selma Oransay

Inflammation plays a big role in the pathogenesis of endometriosis with the release of inflammatory cytokines, angiogenic imbalance, and oxidative stress. These pathways are also common features of severe maternal morbidity. Severe maternal morbidity is life-threatening, causing cardiac and renal…

Key Points Lay Summary

Creating a reliable indirect immunofluorescence protocol as a promising diagnostic tool for endometriosis

Creating a reliable indirect immunofluorescence protocol as a promising diagnostic tool for endometriosis By Eylül GÜN

Owing to its inflammatory nature, endometriosis results in the overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) which disrupt the cellular functions and eventually lead the cell to apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. Senescence, the natural state of irreversible cell cycle arrest,…

Key Points Lay Summary

Uterine leiomyomas and endometriosis may coexist yielding important clinical implications

Uterine leiomyomas and endometriosis may coexist yielding important clinical implications By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

Drs. Uimari, Nazri, and Tapmeier from Finland, the UK, and Australia have published their comprehensive review on the comorbidity of endometriosis along with uterine leiomyomas in the medical journal  “Frontiers in Reproductive Health”.  The comorbidity of uterine leiomyomas and endometriosis…

Key Points Lay Summary

Rare but important entity: perineal endometriosis

Rare but important entity: perineal endometriosis By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

Dr. Zhu and colleagues from Peking Union Medical College Hospital have published their retrospective research on "surgically treated perineal endometriosis cases" in a recent issue of BMC’s Women’s Health. Perineal endometriosis is a rare type of endometriosis accounting for at…

Key Points Lay Summary

Gestrinone May Be Safe and Effective in Treating Endometriosis Symptoms

Gestrinone May Be Safe and Effective in Treating Endometriosis Symptoms By Özge Özkaya

Gestrinone seems to be safe for the treatment of endometriosis, according to a new study published in the scientific journal Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics. It also may be more effective than danazol and other medical treatments.  However, these findings…

Key Points Lay Summary

Molecular and cellular mechanisms of fibrogenesis in endometriosis

Molecular and cellular mechanisms of fibrogenesis in endometriosis By Selma Oransay

Endometriosis lesions are characterized by endometrium-like cell proliferation, invasion, and oxidative stress associated with inflammation and neoangiogenesis. Fibrosis, which occurs due to these events, causes chronic pelvic pain depending on the location and the severity of endometriosis. For the purpose…

Key Points Lay Summary

 How accurate is ultrasonography in evaluating deep infiltrating endometriosis?

 How accurate is ultrasonography in evaluating deep infiltrating endometriosis? By Eylül GÜN

Deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) appears to be the most severe form of endometriosis comprising 15-30% of all endometriosis patients. The difference in the presentation of the lesions ranges from simple adhesions to infiltrative nodules. Even though there is no consensus…

Key Points Lay Summary

Do combination GnRH antagonists improve endometriosis-associated pain?

Do combination GnRH antagonists improve endometriosis-associated pain? By Hale Goksever Celik

Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory disease with a broad spectrum of pain symptoms such as dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, and chronic pelvic pain. It has been understood in light of scientific evidence that endometriosis results in diminished quality of life in these…

Key Points Lay Summary

Which parameter is useful in predicting cardiovascular disease risk in perimenopausal endometriosis patients?

Which parameter is useful in predicting cardiovascular disease risk in perimenopausal endometriosis patients? By Eylül GÜN

Cardiovascular disease is known to be the leading cause of death among women worldwide. Studies have shown that postmenopausal women are at a greater risk as well as women who undergo premature menopause proving the effect of hormonal imbalances on…

Key Points Lay Summary

Ovarian endometriomas, ovarian reserve, oocyte quality and IVF/ICSI outcomes

 Ovarian endometriomas, ovarian reserve, oocyte quality and IVF/ICSI outcomes By Selma Oransay

Surgery and assisted reproductive technology (ART) are the preferred treatments for endometrioma in infertile patients. When ART is considered, surgery may seem to have no advantages, as it may not improve pregnancy outcomes and may carry the risk of decreasing…

Key Points Lay Summary

Deep Endometriosis Surgery and Women’s Quality of Life

Deep Endometriosis Surgery and Women’s Quality of Life By Özge Özkaya

The physical and social functions as well as the overall physical health is worse than normal among Spanish women who underwent surgery for deep endometriosis, reported a new study published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine. The bodily pain, emotional…

Key Points Lay Summary

Uterine agenesis patients may have endometriosis too

Uterine agenesis patients may have endometriosis too By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

Dr. Steinmacher and colleagues at the Tuebingen University Hospital, Germany have published their unique study on a series of patients with congenital Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome in a recent issue of the “Journal of Clinical Medicine”. The absence uterus and upper…

Key Points Lay Summary

Minimally Invasive Surgery Improves the Quality of Life of Women With Deep Infiltrating Endometriosis

Minimally Invasive Surgery Improves the Quality of Life of Women With Deep Infiltrating Endometriosis By Özge Özkaya

Minimally invasive surgery improves the quality of life of women with deep infiltrating endometriosis two years after the operation, according to a new study published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine. The results are similar between conservative and total surgery.…

Key Points Lay Summary

Breastfeeding Seems to Protect Both Mother and Baby From Endo

Breastfeeding Seems to Protect Both Mother and Baby From Endo By Özge Özkaya

Breastfeeding seems to decrease the risk of endometriosis, according to a new study published in the scientific journal Breastfeeding Medicine. Similarly, there seems to be a negative association between ingesting breast milk and the risk of developing endometriosis later in…

Key Points Lay Summary

Efficacy of Uterine Artery Blockage in Endometriosis Management

Efficacy of Uterine Artery Blockage in Endometriosis Management By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

Dr. Li Ma and associates from Liaoning, China have published their results of a computerized database search on the role of uterine artery embolization in endometriosis in a recent issue of the periodical “Computational Intelligence and Neuroscience”. Currently, the management…

Key Points Lay Summary

Opioid use following operation for endometriosis or pelvic pain

Opioid use following operation for endometriosis or pelvic pain By Hale Goksever Celik

Women with endometriosis have pain in the form of dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, and chronic pelvic pain, and they have a diminished quality of life depending on the severity of pelvic pain. Opioids have been preferred in many patients suffering from pain,…

Key Points Lay Summary

What causes pelvic pain? Androgens or estrogens?

What causes pelvic pain? Androgens or estrogens? By Selma Oransay

A comparison between women and men reveals that women suffer more pelvic pain. This reality raises the possibility of the pain-relieving effect of testosterone or androgens. It would be a wise solution to investigate how androgens affect pain at different…

Key Points Lay Summary

Endometriosis Hospitalization Trends in Spain

Endometriosis Hospitalization Trends in Spain By Eylül GÜN

According to the general assumption, one in every ten women is believed to have endometriosis. However, recent literature shows a big difference in the prevalence rates ranging from 1 to 5%, likely because most cases remain undiagnosed. The need for…

Key Points Lay Summary

Anhedonia and its relation to endometriosis as a sole symptom

Anhedonia and its relation to endometriosis as a sole symptom By Eylül GÜN

"Anhedonia may be defined as a broad category of hedonic function deficiencies, including diminished motivation or enjoyment capacity. It has been an area of interest for a long time in psychiatric disorders and has been crucial in some diagnoses such…

Key Points Lay Summary

Obstetric Outcomes of Pre-pregnancy Endometriosis Surgery

Obstetric Outcomes of Pre-pregnancy Endometriosis Surgery By Selma Oransay

Endometriosis may be associated with poor pregnancy outcomes, including placenta praevia, preterm birth, premature prelabour rupture of membranes, obstetric hemorrhage, gestational hypertensive disorders, fetal growth restriction, and perinatal death. Some authors have attempted to demonstrate a causal relationship between endometriosis…

Key Points Lay Summary

Foreseeing what will be seen on laparoscopy

Foreseeing what will be seen on laparoscopy By Bahar Yuksel

Endometriosis diagnosis still relies on preoperative prediction and its confirmation by taking biopsies. Thus, a prediction model for forecasting what would be waiting for the surgeon and the patient will be promising to get prepared.   In the study conducted…

Key Points Lay Summary

Scientists Try to Understand Consequences of Genetic Changes in Endometriosis

Scientists Try to Understand Consequences of Genetic Changes in Endometriosis By Özge Özkaya

The protocol of the "Endometriosis Research Queensland Study" has been published in the scientific journal BMJ Open. The aim of the study is to collect endometrial tissue associated with the disease and chart its genetic architecture. This way, the researchers aim to…

Key Points Lay Summary

Antimicrobial agent ornidazole yields promising effects in an animal model of endometriosis

Antimicrobial agent ornidazole yields promising effects in an animal model of endometriosis By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

Xiaoduo Qin and collaborators from Chinese medical centers, have published their results on the role of ornidazole using an experimental rat model in a recent issue of the periodical “Gynecologic and Obstetric Investigation”. Progression of endometriotic foci depends on the presence…

Key Points Lay Summary

The Delay in Endometriosis Diagnosis Is Huge

The Delay in Endometriosis Diagnosis Is Huge By Özge Özkaya

Eleven years pass on average in Italy for a woman to get diagnosed with endometriosis from when she starts having symptoms. This delay can even be even longer (4 more years) if the symptoms appear before a woman is age 20.…

Key Points Lay Summary

Non-hormonal medication for endometriosis-associated pelvic pain

 Non-hormonal medication for endometriosis-associated pelvic pain By Selma Oransay

The thought of benefiting from non-hormonal therapy in endometriosis pain is based on the pathophysiological findings that include angiogenesis, fibrosis, the presence of inflammatory cytokines and immune cells, apoptosis, and stem cell theory. But the effect of this treatment in…

Key Points Lay Summary

Epigenetic changes in endometriosis: A new target area for therapy

Epigenetic changes in endometriosis: A new target area for therapy By Eylül GÜN

Epigenetics is the heritable genetic modifications and changes in chromosomes without alterations in the DNA sequence. Numerous mechanisms, like DNA methylation and RNA editing to mention a couple, have been discovered as epigenetic alterations that are triggered by environmental factors.…

Key Points Lay Summary

Embryo implantation and endometriosis

Embryo implantation and endometriosis By Bahar Yuksel

Infertility is one of the main symptoms of endometriosis. And unfortunately, monthly fecundity rates decrease from 15% to 2-10% for women with endometriosis. The reason for these decreases is controversial and still not known whether it is because of impaired…

Key Points Lay Summary

Does endometrioma size have an effect on IVF/ICSI outcomes?

Does endometrioma size have an effect on IVF/ICSI outcomes? By Hale Goksever Celik

Assisted reproductive technologies including IVF/ICSI can be suggested as the therapeutic option in women with endometriosis-associated infertility. In literature, there is a controversy regarding the influence of endometrioma size on IVF/ICSI outcomes. The group led by Drs Chapron and Santoulli…

Key Points Lay Summary

Endometriosis Care Is More Patient-Centered for age older than 35

Endometriosis Care Is More Patient-Centered for age older than 35 By Özge Özkaya

Women younger than age 35 receive endometriosis care in a less patient-centered manner compared to older women, found a new study published in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. This finding underscores the importance of improving endometriosis care, especially for…

Key Points Lay Summary

Deep lateral parametrial endometriosis nerve-sparing surgery 

Deep lateral parametrial endometriosis nerve-sparing surgery  By Selma Oransay

Dr. Kanno et al. from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Kurashiki medical center, Okayama, Japan recently published a deep lateral parametrial endometriosis case report in the journal named Fertility and Sterility. The aim is to demonstrate the technical and…

Key Points Lay Summary

TSH receptor antibodies show promising results in the diagnostic workup of endometriosis

TSH receptor antibodies show promising results in the diagnostic workup of endometriosis By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

Dr. Svensson with collaborators from the Swedish Lund University has published their results on the possible role of TSH receptor antibodies as biomarkers in endometriosis diagnosis in a recent issue of “European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology”.…

Key Points Lay Summary

How beneficial is colorectal surgery for patients with deep endometriosis?

How beneficial is colorectal surgery for patients with deep endometriosis? By Eylül GÜN

In cases of deep endometriosis, which causes more severe pain and gastrointestinal symptoms, the patient's quality of life and fertility outcomes are negatively affected. Surgical intervention is thought to be the optimal treatment method in colorectal deep endometriosis cases, however,…

Key Points Lay Summary

Postoperative serum markers to predict serum AMH recovery following endometriosis surgery

Postoperative serum markers to predict  serum AMH recovery following endometriosis surgery By Hale Goksever Celik

Women with endometriosis seek treatment including ovarian cystectomy, because of symptoms that reduce their quality of life. Ovarian cystectomy using laparoscopic or robotic devices is the preferred therapy. However, it has been shown in the literature that ovarian reserve is…

Key Points Lay Summary

Web-based resource to improve menstrual health awareness

Web-based resource to improve menstrual health awareness By Selma Oransay

Many women consider "menstrual pain" a normal part of being female, and do not seek medical help but rather use self-management methods such as heat, rest, and analgesics. They are often unsure which self-management strategies are effective or what the…

Key Points Lay Summary

Exposure to toxic metals and the risk of endometriosis

Exposure to toxic metals and the risk of endometriosis By Selma Oransay

Mercury, lead, and cadmium are the best-studied heavy metals for several adverse effects on the human reproductive system. Mercury can induce DNA damage, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial dysfunction, and lead exposure is associated with menstrual disorders, preterm birth, and miscarriage.…

Key Points Lay Summary

Time to change out taboos about the radiologic evaluation of scar endometriosis

Time to change out taboos about the radiologic evaluation of scar endometriosis By Bahar Yuksel

Scar endometriosis is one of the rare forms of endometriosis. According to traditional belief, it has always been evaluated radiologically on menstruation days. In the study conducted by Balaban et al, the authors compared the differences in lesions according to…

Key Points Lay Summary

The management of diaphragmatic endometriosis

The management of diaphragmatic endometriosis By Selma Oransay

Thoracic endometriosis is a rare disease, and it is likely to have been underdiagnosed and underreported. Optimal diagnostic testing and management options are yet to be determined. Imaging for thoracic endometriosis is still in its infancy, and MRI only helps to…

Key Points Lay Summary

Understanding what we see: endometriosis laparoscopic appearance and microscopic verification

Understanding what we see: endometriosis laparoscopic appearance and microscopic verification By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

Chia-Sui Weng and colleagues from the Mayo Clinic, USA have published their results on laparoscopic appearances and microscopy of endometriotic lesions in “The Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology”. Even though the diagnosis of endometriosis has evolved greatly with advanced imaging…

Key Points Lay Summary

Rhein usage in endometriosis: A potential new therapeutic agent

Rhein usage in endometriosis: A potential new therapeutic agent By Eylül GÜN

The invasive nature of endometriosis has prompted scientists to find preventative and curative methods.  The progression and proliferation of endometriotic lesions are being studied extensively. As one of the agents used in Chinese herbal medicine for inflammatory disorders, rhein is…

Key Points Lay Summary

Endometriosis and the possible mechanisms of pain.

 Endometriosis and the possible mechanisms of pain. By Selma Oransay

The most common clinical symptoms of endometriosis are chronic pelvic pain and infertility. It is often not enough to treat pain symptoms with hormonal therapy or a surgical approach. Moreover, the stage of endometriosis has weakly associated with the amount,…

Key Points Lay Summary

Organizing structural protein Ezrin and its active form in endometriosis biopsies

Organizing structural protein Ezrin and its active form in endometriosis biopsies By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

Dr. Alessandra Peloggia and colleagues from Brazil have published their results on immunostaining of Ezrin protein and its phosphorylated active form in endometrial tissues in a recent issue of “Clinics” Possible factors on endometrial cell implantation and proliferation in the…

Key Points Lay Summary

Endometriosis and the cumulative live birth rate in IVF cycles.

Endometriosis and the cumulative live birth rate in IVF cycles.  By Hale Goksever Celik

Infertility is one of the symptoms encountered in up to 40-50% of women with endometriosis. There are several pathophysiological theories suggesting the development of endometriosis-associated infertility. Assisted reproductive technology (ART) using in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) has been…

Key Points Lay Summary

Taller Girls More Likely to Have Recurring Endometriosis

Taller Girls More Likely to Have Recurring Endometriosis By Özge Özkaya

Adolescents who are taller and have three or more lesions are at a higher risk of endometriosis recurrence following surgery, according to a new study by Chinese researchers published in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. They should, therefore, be…

Key Points Lay Summary

The dilemma of autophagy and its role in endometriosis

The dilemma of autophagy and its role in endometriosis By Eylül GÜN

Autophagy is a mechanism for cell survival under metabolic stress that involves the degradation and recycling of intracellular components. Multiple genes actively control this process. Among these, the initiation stage of autophagosome formation is regulated by the gene Beclin-1 and…

Key Points Lay Summary

Endometriosis and Body Image

Endometriosis and Body Image By Özge Özkaya

Endometriosis has a negative effect on health-related quality of life and body familiarity according to a new study published in the Journal of Psychosomatic Research. Based on this finding, the authors of the study recommend that body familiarity should be…

Key Points Lay Summary

A prediction model to identify endometriosis during routine ultrasound .

A prediction model to identify endometriosis during routine ultrasound . By Selma Oransay

. Ureterolysis is an advanced surgical technique that involves dissection of the ureter from pelvic brim to the ureteric tunnel to avoid injury or freeing the ureter from endometriotic lesions. This manipulation usually requieres advanced surgical training and skill. In…

Key Points Lay Summary

T-cell-targeted immunotherapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors for the treatment of endometriosis

T-cell-targeted immunotherapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors for the treatment of endometriosis By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

Dr. Monika Abraimuk and colleagues from Poland published their review on "the importance of immunity in endometriosis" in a recent issue of the medical journal “Cellular Signaling”. A great challenge in contemporary medical issues is endometriosis which still lacks a…

Key Points Lay Summary

How do the couples feel when dealing with endometriosis?

How do the couples feel when dealing with endometriosis? By Eylül GÜN

The effects of endometriosis on the patients' psychosocial well-being are well known. However, not many studies have investigated how it impacts the well-being of partners and couples. A few studies focused on the male perspective of the disease, whereas some…

Key Points Lay Summary

Parametrial endometriosis and postoperative voiding dysfunction.

Parametrial endometriosis and postoperative voiding dysfunction. By Selma Oransay

Parametrium constitutes a complex connective tissue containing blood vessels, the ureter, and the inferior hypogastric plexus, that extends from the lateral surface of the cervix and vagina to the lateral pelvic wall. Parametrial endometriosis may involve the vessels, nerves, and…

Key Points Lay Summary

The association between severe endometriosis and venous thromboembolism

The association between severe endometriosis and venous thromboembolism By Hale Goksever Celik

For clarifying the issue of whether endometriosis patients are at risk for venous thromboembolism due to both their local immune and inflammatory responses and hormonal treatments, Wiegers et al,  from the Netherlands, published an explorative cohort study entitled “Risk of…

Key Points Lay Summary

Researchers Develop New Mouse Model of Endometriosis

Researchers Develop New Mouse Model of Endometriosis By Özge Özkaya

Researchers from China developed a new mouse model to study endometriosis that could help researchers better understand the molecular mechanisms that lead to the development of endometriosis and develop potential new treatments for the disease.  Even though many animal models…

Key Points Lay Summary

Do endometriosis patients have increased risk of stroke?

Do endometriosis patients have increased risk of stroke? By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

Dr. Leslie V. Farland and colleagues from the University of Arizona, published their prospective research on the risk of stroke in women with laparoscopically confirmed endometriosis in a recent issue of a scientific journal named  “Stroke”. Endometriosis is a chronic…

Key Points Lay Summary

Pelvic pain characteristics in young girls with endometriosis.

 Pelvic pain characteristics in young girls with endometriosis. By Selma Oransay

The occurrence of severe and frequent pelvic pain in young women is a piece of evidence that endometriosis begins and develops at an early age. Two-thirds of women with endometriosis who were diagnosed in their adulthood reported the onset of…

Key Points Lay Summary

Endometriosis Prediction by "Machine Learning"

Endometriosis Prediction by By Selma Oransay

To develop a predictive model for endometriosis and to re-assess the contribution of known risk factors, Blass et al. from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel used the data of the UK biobank by machine learning-based models. They compared and…

Key Points Lay Summary

Placenta Previa More Common Among Pregnant Women With Endometriosis

Placenta Previa More Common Among Pregnant Women With Endometriosis By Özge Özkaya

Endometriosis is associated with a higher risk of placenta previa, according to a new study published in the scientific journal Reproductive Sciences. This is the case whether the women became pregnant following in vitro fertilization (IVF). Moreover, for women with endometriosis…

Key Points Lay Summary

Vitamin C as a possible therapeutic agent in endometriosis

Vitamin C as a possible therapeutic agent in endometriosis By Eylül GÜN

A rather toxic environment is generated with the production of reactive oxygen species by the immune cells in endometriosis. The anti-oxidant metabolism is also altered which results in a state of oxidative stress. As a potent antioxidant, Vitamin C has…

Key Points Lay Summary

A call for mast cells from endometriotic lesions

A call for mast cells from endometriotic lesions By Bahar Yuksel

Endometriosis is a well-known hormonal-dependent inflammatory disease. But what type of inflammatory cells is responsible, and when does estrogen take part, are questions that have not been answered yet. In the study conducted by Alison McCallion et al, the role…

Key Points Lay Summary

Fibrosis is not only a histological finding in endometriosis

Fibrosis is not only a histological finding in endometriosis By Eylül GÜN

Endometriosis remains to be an active subject of research with its complex pathophysiology and the indistinct mechanisms that cause the proliferation and progression of the lesions. Besides the already known characteristics of the disease, there is strong evidence to support…

Key Points Lay Summary

Study Identifies Factors Associated With Risk of UrinaryTract Endometriosis Recurrence

Study Identifies Factors Associated With Risk of UrinaryTract Endometriosis Recurrence By Özge Özkaya

Being younger than age 25 and having an autoimmune disease are significant predictors of the recurrence of urinary tract endometriosis after surgery according to a new study published in the Journal of Minimally Invasive Gynecology. Adjuvant hormonal therapy, on the…

Key Points Lay Summary

To Remove the Ovary(ies) or Not During Hysterectomy for Endometriosis

To Remove the Ovary(ies) or Not During Hysterectomy for Endometriosis By Selma Oransay

Some surgeons prefer empiric bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy during the hysterectomy of women with endometriosis based on the knowledge that endometriosis is stimulated by endogenous estrogens, as leaving the ovaries in situ may increase the possibility of endometriosis recurrence and pelvic pain.…

Key Points Lay Summary

Coexistence of endometriosis and cardiovascular diseases

Coexistence of endometriosis and cardiovascular diseases By Hale Goksever Celik

The most common presenting complaints are mainly pelvic pain and infertility, most of which relate to the menstrual period. Affected women demand therapy for these symptoms of endometriosis, notably pelvic pain. Several theories have been proposed to explain the development…

Key Points Lay Summary

An important matter to revise: Immune system changes in endometriosis

An important matter to revise: Immune system changes in endometriosis By Eylül GÜN

Endometriosis is a multifactorial disease with unclear and obscure pathogenetic mechanisms. In their review, Chopyak et al. revised the immunopathogenic pathways that are proven and/or thought to be responsible for disease development and progression. The article was published in the…

Key Points Lay Summary

Endometriotic cyst fluid and the postoperative recurrence of endometriosis

Endometriotic cyst fluid and the postoperative recurrence of endometriosis By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

Dr. Xinxin Xu and colleagues from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, China, published their research on the viability of endometrial cells in ovarian cyst fluids in a recent issue of  “Journal of Ovarian Research”.…

Key Points Lay Summary

Transvaginal Ultrasound Could Be Sufficient to Properly Diagnose Deep Endometriosis and Ovarians Endometriomas

Transvaginal Ultrasound Could Be Sufficient to Properly Diagnose Deep Endometriosis and Ovarians Endometriomas By Özge Özkaya

Following the International Deep Endometriosis Analysis consensus can improve the accuracy of transvaginal ultrasound to diagnose ovarian endometriomas and deep infiltrating endometriosis, according to a new study published in the scientific journalUltrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology. “ (…) at this…

Key Points Lay Summary

Endometriosis and environmental factors

Endometriosis and environmental factors By Selma Oransay

The estrogen-dependent nature of endometriosis has generally led to search endocrine-based causes. Especially, polychlorinated biphenyls, dioxins, and Dietilstilbesterol are the most studied chemicals in the literature. Interesting data that needs confirmation in the future also suggest a link with night…

Key Points Lay Summary

Fallopian tube occlusion in infertile women with endometriosis

Fallopian tube occlusion in infertile women with endometriosis By Hale Goksever Celik

Women with endometriosis suffer from fertility problems with an incidence of 40-50%. Among the pathophysiologic mechanisms resulting in impaired fertility in women with endometriosis, distorted pelvic anatomy due to adhesions,  impaired follicular quality-quantity, dysfunction of tubal peristalsis, and implantation problems…

Key Points Lay Summary

The Oocyte Quality in Ovarian Endometriosis

The Oocyte Quality in Ovarian Endometriosis By Selma Oransay

Endometrioma is the ovarian involvement of endometriosis affecting up to 44% of women diagnosed with the disease. Owing to the anatomical locus, ovarian endometriosis may impair folliculogenesis and oocyte competence, differing from other forms of endometriosis.  When investigating the relationship between…

Key Points Lay Summary

The effects of resveratrol on endometriotic cells

The effects of resveratrol on endometriotic cells By Eylül GÜN

The current treatment methods for endometriosis still carry recurrence risks and side effects from medications. Herbal medicine has been investigated and used as an additional alternative method. Derived from several plants and found in some dietary sources, resveratrol is a…

Key Points Lay Summary

The best method for the diagnosis of endometriosis: SEE and BELIEVE

The best method for the diagnosis of endometriosis: SEE and BELIEVE By Eylül GÜN

Deciding on the best diagnostic procedure for endometriosis patients has been a recent subject of debate. While some clinicians believe non-invasive methods such as imaging and symptom-based treatment should be the choice in the diagnosis, some believe the best method…

Key Points Lay Summary

Validity of Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Deep Pelvic Endometriosis.

Validity of Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Deep Pelvic Endometriosis. By Selma Oransay

Video laparoscopy has become a valuable tool for diagnosing and managing endometriosis in recent years. In cases associated with deep infiltrating endometriosis, the need for a non-invasive diagnostic method before laparoscopic evaluation paves the way for using MRI.  The use…

Key Points Lay Summary

Gluten Intake May Not Have an Effect on Endometriosis

Gluten Intake May Not Have an Effect on Endometriosis By Özge Özkaya

Carbohydrate quality and certain types of fiber such as total vegetable and cruciferous vegetable fiber seem to be associated with endometriosis in women before menopause, found a new study published in the Journal of Nutrition. According to the study, it…

Key Points Lay Summary

Start exercising for pain relief

Start exercising for pain relief By Bahar Yuksel

Physical exercises have always been suggested for chronic pain-related diseases as well as endometriosis. However, the effect of exercise and the frequency that is effective on pain relief is unknown. In the study conducted by Ipek Ensari et al, a…

Key Points Lay Summary

Combined "Platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio and CA125" may be promising predictor for adhesions

Combined By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

Drs. Guo & Zhang from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China published their manuscript on the importance of combined "platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio and CA125 level" as a biomarker of endometriosis in a recent…

Key Points Lay Summary

Sex Education For The Sexual Quality Of Life

Sex Education For The Sexual Quality Of Life By Hale Goksever Celik

The most common symptoms of endometriosis are dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, chronic pelvic pain, and infertility. Decreased quality of life due to pelvic pain, dyspareunia, and psychological conditions such as anxiety and depression can lead to sexual dysfunction in women with endometriosis.…

Key Points Lay Summary

Estradiol metabolism, endometriosis and migraine

Estradiol metabolism, endometriosis and migraine By Bahar Yuksel

Endometriosis and migraine are the leading pain diseases of women of reproductive ages. As both are known to be induced by hormonal changes, in the review conducted by Joy-Fleur van der Vaart et al, the authors aimed to find out the…

Key Points Lay Summary

Time has come to learn more about endometriosis and take action!

Time has come to learn more about endometriosis and take action! By Eylül GÜN

It has been a long time since endometriosis was defined. Extensive population studies have shown that around 10% of women suffer from this condition. Depending on its severity, it alters the various functions of the body and causes the patients…

Key Points Lay Summary

Does the timing of endometriosis diagnosis affect optimal infertility treatment?

Does the timing of endometriosis diagnosis affect optimal infertility treatment? By Selma Oransay

Based on a retrospective population-linked data study in "Human Reproduction", the ESHRE journal club featured a detailed discussion with 50 participants, patients’ representatives, and experts (Paola Vigano´, Mathew Leonardi, Thomas D’Hooghe, Louise Hull), together with the authors of the original article, mainly…

Key Points Lay Summary

New Endometriosis Self-Assessment Tool Could Help Women Seek Timely Medical Attention

New Endometriosis Self-Assessment Tool Could Help Women Seek Timely Medical Attention By Özge Özkaya

Researchers from Korea developed a self-assessment tool that may allow women to determine their risk of endometriosis. They described the tool in an article they published in the scientific journal Obstetrics & Gynecology Science. “The devised tool appears valid and…

Key Points Lay Summary

Genomic evidence: The recognition of endometriosis as an inflammatory systemic disease

Genomic evidence: The recognition of endometriosis as an inflammatory systemic disease By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

Dr. Bao and associates from Shangai-China published a new article on the genomic features of endometriosis that could yield information on its inflammatory basis and possible therapeutic potential in a recent issue of “Frontiers ın Immunology”. Endometriosis is a systemic process…

Key Points Lay Summary

Evaluation of retrocervical and parametrial deep endometriosis by detailed ultrasonography

 Evaluation of retrocervical and parametrial deep endometriosis by detailed ultrasonography By Selma Oransay

The accuracy of ultrasonographic diagnosis of deep endometriosis in the retrocervical and parametrial areas may be poor due to the variable morphology of endometriotic lesions, the complex structure of the posterior parametrial compartment, and the difference in examiners' experience level.…

Key Points Lay Summary

Research Identifies Blood Proteins Associated With Endometriosis in Adolescents

Research Identifies Blood Proteins Associated With Endometriosis in Adolescents By Özge Özkaya

Proteins related to angiogenesis or the formation of new blood vessels and cellular migration are enriched and more active in the blood of adolescents with endometriosis compared to healthy controls. These are the findings of a new study published in…

Key Points Lay Summary

Chasing gold to find endometriosis.

Chasing gold to find endometriosis. By Bahar Yuksel

Endometriosis is a disease that doesn’t have a proper preoperative diagnostic test. Thus, animal models to study endometriosis are vital to show the effects of drugs and the effects of the disease on the body. In the study conducted by…

Key Points Lay Summary

Endometriosis-associated infertility: How to manage?

Endometriosis-associated infertility: How to manage? By Hale Goksever Celik

Although the underlying reason for endometriosis has not been fully established, there is an association between endometriosis and infertility. Endometriosis is thought to be involved in 40-50 percent of infertility cases. However, natural conception can still occur even in women…

Key Points Lay Summary

Is it possible to reduce pain by diet in endometriosis?

Is it possible to reduce pain by diet in endometriosis? By Eylül GÜN

Endometriosis-related pain is one of the most common symptoms of endometriosis that significantly affects the patient's quality of life. The peripheral and central sensitization, caused by chronic inflammation activation, may result in referred pain. The pain perception was shown to…

Key Points Lay Summary

Would it be possible to diagnose endometriosis from a vaginal swab?

Would it be possible to diagnose endometriosis from a vaginal swab? By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

Ectopic endometrial tissues with new vessel formations in an inflammatory background have a component of mast cell-derived exosomal tRF-Leu-AAG-001 promoting inflammation and angiogenesis. This information is according to the paper published in a recent issue of the journal “BMC Women’s Health”,…

Key Points Lay Summary

A new potential therapeutic target in endometriosis: Galectin-3

A new potential therapeutic target in endometriosis: Galectin-3 By Eylül GÜN

The endometrial cells migrate and attach to the peritoneal surface according to the most widely accepted retrograde menstruation theory in endometriosis development. Given that only 10% of women have endometriosis, it is thought that some additional factors contribute to the…

Key Points Lay Summary

The role of oxidative stress on endometriosis symptomatology

The role of oxidative stress on endometriosis symptomatology By Bahar Yuksel

Endometriosis is not only a hormonal disease, but it is also an inflammatory illness provoked by hormones. In the review conducted by Hossein Ansariniya et al., from Iran, the relation between oxidative stress, free radicals, free iron, and the development of…

Key Points Lay Summary

How do regional differences affect the incidence rates of endometriosis?

How do regional differences affect the incidence rates of endometriosis? By Eylül GÜN

Despite all the ongoing work for endometriosis awareness, it continues to be an underdiagnosed disease. Several different factors are responsible for this. The variations of its symptomatology play a big part as well as the lack of understanding of the…

Key Points Lay Summary

Fertility assessment and surgical approach in endometriotic patients.

Fertility assessment and surgical approach in endometriotic patients. By Selma Oransay

The prevalence of endometriosis is around 50-70% in women with pelvic pain, and it has been reported as 50% in patients with infertility. Severe adhesive disease associated with advanced endometriosis is a cause of fertility impairment. The relationship between endometriosis…

Key Points Lay Summary

The effect of chronic endometritis on pregnancy outcomes in infertile women having minimal/mild endometriosis

The effect of chronic endometritis on pregnancy outcomes in infertile women having minimal/mild endometriosis By Hale Goksever Celik

Endometriosis is an estrogen-dependent disease that is frequently diagnosed in reproductive-aged women. Infertility can be associated with endometriosis in these women depending on several pathophysiologic mechanisms such as anatomic distortion, and implantation failure. Thus pregnancy rate is so important, especially…

Key Points Lay Summary

Understanding the expression of endometriosis-related pain: A barrier to overcome

Understanding the expression of endometriosis-related pain: A barrier to overcome By Eylül GÜN

It is difficult to describe the feeling of pain, one of the most important symptoms of endometriosis because it is subjective. Endometriosis-related pain is proven to be underestimated by some clinicians resulting in the patient getting a late diagnosis. It…

Key Points Lay Summary

Postoperative outcomes of deep intestinal endometriosis surgery.

 Postoperative outcomes of deep intestinal endometriosis surgery. By Selma Oransay

Invasion of endometriotic lesions to the bowels' mucosal and/or muscular levels is called intestinal deep endometriosis. These lesions are most frequently found in the rectosigmoid colon, followed by the rectum, ileum,  appendix, and caecum. The optimal surgical approach to intestinal deep…

Key Points Lay Summary

Soluble CD90 : a potential serum biomarker in endometriosis

Soluble CD90 : a potential serum biomarker in endometriosis By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

Dr. Bochev and colleagues from several medical centers in Bulgaria published their research on the role of a possible serum biomarker in diagnosing endometriosis in a recent issue of the journal named “Disease Markers”. The definitive diagnosis of endometriosis, an…

Key Points Lay Summary

Immune cells in peritoneal endometriosis

Immune cells in peritoneal endometriosis By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

Dr. Burcu Ersoy and associates from The University of Sydney, Australia, published their interesting study on surgically removed peritoneal endometriosis tissues in the journal named "F&S Science". It is still a dilemma how ectopic endometrial tissues attach to the peritoneum, persist…

Key Points Lay Summary

Ankylosing Spondylitis and Endometriosis

Ankylosing Spondylitis and Endometriosis By Hale Goksever Celik

There are several theories contributing the development of endometriosis: one of the proposed pathophysiological mechanisms is the abnormality in immune and inflammatory system. Several immunologic diseases coexist with endometriosis depending on the common immunologic characteristics such as Tumor necrosis Factor…

Key Points Lay Summary

The accuracy of transvaginal ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging for deep urinary tract endometrisis.

The accuracy of transvaginal ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging for deep urinary tract endometrisis. By Selma Oransay

The prevalence of urinary tract endometriosis is 19-53% in patients within deep infiltrating endometriosis cases. The bladder and ureteral are the most common sites of the involvement. While preparing a radical surgery for a patient with deep endometriosis, the diagnosis…

Key Points Lay Summary

A search for a marker to show the malignancy risk of endometriomas

A search for a marker to show the malignancy risk of endometriomas By Bahar Yuksel

The premalignant features and precursors that show the malignant potential in endometriomas are not well-known. In the systematic review conducted by Ludovica Bartiromo et al, the markers for malignant transformation have been analyzed and recently published in a recent issue of…

Key Points Lay Summary

Endometriosis in transmasculine people

Endometriosis in transmasculine people By Eylül GÜN

“Transmasculine” refers to people who were assigned female at birth but later identify themselves with masculinity. If they choose to transition to the male gender, they are then prescribed long-term testosterone and some may want to undergo a hysterectomy as…

Key Points Lay Summary

Chronic pelvic pain and endometriosis

Chronic pelvic pain and endometriosis By Selma Oransay

Patients may have an average of 7 clinical visits before being diagnosed with endometriosis. Understanding chronic pain conditions including endometriosis-associated pain, and developing chronic pelvic pain benefits the management of the patients. The role of central sensitization, comorbid conditions, and…

Key Points Lay Summary

Who Is Diagnosing my Endo?

Who Is Diagnosing my Endo? By Özge Özkaya

It is possible to acquire the skills necessary to diagnose endometriosis lesions as well as adenomyosis using three-dimensional rectosonography after a short learning period in an expert radiology center. This is according to a new study by French researchers published…

Key Points Lay Summary

Is it possible to predict recurrence after ovarian endometriosis surgery?

Is it possible to predict recurrence after ovarian endometriosis surgery? By Eylül GÜN

The current treatment methods for endometriosis both have their flaws: the medical treatment is sometimes ineffective and the surgical treatment comes with a high rate of recurrence. Even though new surgical modalities have been developed, laparoscopic cyst removal continues to…

Key Points Lay Summary

The association between inflammatory cytokines and fertility in women with endometriosis

The association between inflammatory cytokines and fertility in women with endometriosis By Hale Goksever Celik

Women with endometriosis suffer not only from a broad spectrum of symptoms including pain including dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, and chronic pelvic pain but also fertility problems. Endometriosis-associated infertility develops depending on a combination of several mechanisms such as distorted pelvic anatomy,…

Key Points Lay Summary

The clearance system is defective for women who develop endometriosis

The clearance system is defective for women who develop endometriosis By Bahar Yuksel

Endometriosis is both a hormonal and an immune disease thus overcoming the immune response by improving the underlying mechanism would help fight the disease. In the study conducted by Dr.Guidice group at the University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA,…

Key Points Lay Summary

Surgery Improves the Sex Life and Sleep of Women With Endometriosis

Surgery Improves the Sex Life and Sleep of Women With Endometriosis By Özge Özkaya

Endometriosis surgery improves patients’ quality of life, sexual function, and sleep confirms a new study by Turkish researchers published in the scientific journal Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics. According to the first author Dr. Belfin Nur Arici Halici of the…

Key Points Lay Summary

Does inhibiting the formation of the new blood vessels aid in endometriosis treatment?

Does inhibiting the formation of the new blood vessels aid in endometriosis treatment? By Eylül GÜN

Current treatment modalities for endometriosis include a hormonal alteration which has many side effects and surgical removal which has a high postoperative recurrence rate. Alternative non-hormonal treatment methods have been investigated and anti-angiogenic therapy is one of them. Dr.s Chung…

Key Points Lay Summary

Is there a component of "microflora imbalance" in endometriosis?

Is there a component of By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

Dr. Oishi and colleagues from Ryukyus and Mie Universities, Japan, published a prospective cohort study on the microbiota of the female genital tract in the journal "Reproductive Medicine and Biology". Recent studies have found a small number of bacteria in…

Key Points Lay Summary

Early menarche increases the risk of endometriosis.

Early menarche increases the risk of endometriosis. By Selma Oransay

Early menarche is the first menstrual bleeding occurring before 12 years of age. The timing of normal puberty in girls varies between nations due to genetic, socioeconomic, and environmental factors. Notably, the age of menarche decreased significantly in teenagers born…

Key Points Lay Summary

How does endometriosis affect the life course of the patients?

How does endometriosis affect the life course of the patients? By Eylül GÜN

Endometriosis, as a chronic disease has impairing effects on women’s lives. Patients carry psychological, social, and work-related burdens along with debilitating physical symptoms. Studies have been performed on these issues at a particular time in patients’ lives, however, only a…

Key Points Lay Summary

The relation between body mass index and endometriosis

 The relation between body mass index and endometriosis By Selma Oransay

The studies have emphasized a link between low BMI values and endometriosis, however, this conclusion may be questionable when the estrogen dependence of the disease is concerned. Excess adipose tissue may produce higher circulating estrogen that may result in an…

Key Points Lay Summary

Adenomyosis Increases Risk of Surgical Complications

Adenomyosis Increases Risk of Surgical Complications By Özge Özkaya

Adenomyosis increases the risk of deep endometriosis surgery complications, according to a new study published in the journal Scientific Reports. Patients with deep endometriosis and adenomyosis should therefore be informed about this risk before undergoing surgery. Adenomyosis occurs together with…

Key Points Lay Summary

The consequence of COVID-19 pandemic on endometriosis patients

The consequence of COVID-19 pandemic on endometriosis patients By Selma Oransay

The relevant policies and restrictions concerning Covid-19 have prevented patients from accessing medical care. Similarly, standard care for endometriosis patients has also been negatively impacted by postponed or canceled appointments and suspended surgeries across the countries. Women trying to cope…

Key Points Lay Summary

Preferential expression of some membrane type matrix metalloproteinase proteins

Preferential expression of some membrane type matrix metalloproteinase proteins By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

Dr. Maoga and associates from academic institutions located in Germany and Kenya have published their findings on the immunohistochemical expression of MT-MMP proteins, namely MT2-MMP (MMP15) and MT3-MMP (MMP16) in the eutopic endometrium of healthy and endometriotic patients; and also…

Key Points Lay Summary

The evaluation of sexual dysfunction in infertile women

The evaluation of sexual dysfunction in infertile women By Eylül GÜN

Infertility constitutes a serious health problem in women and men worldwide. The most common causes of women’s infertility are reported to be endometriosis and polycystic ovarian syndrome. The prevalence of infertility in women with endometriosis is as high as 50%.…

Key Points Lay Summary

Comparison of imaging techniques for estimating the depth of bowel wall infiltration by endometriosis.

Comparison of imaging techniques for estimating the depth of bowel wall infiltration by endometriosis. By Selma Oransay

The surgical removal of deep endometriosis is the cornerstone of the management. However, the decision for the varying surgical approach types ranging from conservative management (shaving) to segmental or discoid resection depends on the depth of infiltration within the bowel wall, which…

Key Points Lay Summary

Self-Management Strategies for Endometriosis

 Self-Management Strategies for Endometriosis By Özge Özkaya

Many self-management strategies for endometriosis are not more effective at reducing the symptoms of the disease compared to placebo or hormonal therapies, according to a new study published in the journal Reproductive Sciences.  The authors, therefore concluded that “no recommendations…

Key Points Lay Summary

Social media and endometriosis management

Social media and endometriosis management By Selma Oransay

Endometriosis has a negative impact on social life, work, daily activities, personal relationship, and overall quality of life. A study from Australia recently published in the Australian New Zeland Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology reports that social media helps these…

Key Points Lay Summary

Atherosclerosis is augmented in laboratory mice by experimental endometriosis

Atherosclerosis is augmented in laboratory mice by experimental endometriosis By Nasuhi Engin Aydin

Dr. Taylor group from Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA has published their experimental study in the "American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology" on atherosclerosis following endometriosis induction in laboratory mice. The basic inflammation process in endometriosis patients…

Key Points Lay Summary

No way to sleep when you suffer from pain

No way to sleep when you suffer from pain By Bahar Yuksel

Having chronic disease might alter the sleep quality and disturb sleeping periods. Besides insomnia, endometriosis itself changes the pain sensitivity and increases the body’s reaction to inflammatory and painful inputs. Thus, as a chronic and painful long-term situation, the relation…

Key Points Lay Summary