The current management of endometriosis-related infertility.
Endometriosis is a chronic disease affecting women of reproductive age, often presenting with pelvic pain such as dyspareunia, dyschezia, and dysuria, or inertility, and significantly impacting quality of life. Management should be individualized based on symptoms, reproductive goals, age,…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndostatin-Expressing Stem Cells: A New Approach to Treating Endometriosis
Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory condition characterized by abnormal blood vessel formation. Endostatin, a potent angiogenesis inhibitor, has shown potential in targeting the process of angiogenesis. In a study published in Stem Cells Translational Medicine, Peng and Zhang et al. explored the therapeutic…
Key Points Lay SummaryImaging findings in postmenopausal endometriosis
Most women diagnosed with endometriosis during their reproductive years become asymptomatic in postmenopausal period, but lesions remain biologically active despite lower estrogen levels. The pathophysiology of postmenopausal endometriosis remains unclear, though lesions appear less active and extensive. The risk of…
Key Points Lay SummaryImmune Dynamics in Adolescent Peritoneal Endometriosis
In a study published in the Cells, Khashchenko et. al investigated the potential role of immune cell imbalances in adolescent peritoneal endometriosis, and their potential impact on disease progression and response to progestogen therapy. This study provides new insights into how immune imbalances in adolescents with…
Key Points Lay SummaryPostmenopausal endometriosis is often neglected
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 SummaryPeritoneal fluid in young women with endometriosis
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 SummaryThe effect of medical treatment on sexual function and quality of life in women with endometriosis
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 SummaryEndometrioma surgery and the ovarian reserve
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 SummaryTreatment of superficial dyspareunia using topical estrogens in postmenopausal women with a history of endometriosis
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 SummaryIs continuous hormonal treatment safe and healthy method for endometriotic patients?
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 SummaryMenopause-management strategies for women with endometriosis.
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 SummaryWhen to start ART after laparoscopic treatment of endometriosis?
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 SummaryImproving the quality of life: The role of cognitive behavioral therapy after endometriosis surgery
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 SummaryIntegrative medical management of endometriosis
This lecture entitled "Integrative Medical Management of Endometriosis" was presented by Dr. Pinar Kodaman, Director of the endoscopic reproductive surgery program and Assoc. Professor of Clinical ObGyn and Reproductive Sciences at the Yale School of Medicine. In addition to surgery which…
Key Points Lay SummaryStem cells could be a good choice for therapeutic steps in many gynecologic disorders, including endometriosis
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 SummaryGathering brings relief to endometriosis pain.
Endometriosis is an inflammatory disease that should be managed on a multidisciplinary basis. In a study conducted in Porto Rico, the authors designed a multitask organization to support women with endometriosis and analyzed its feasibility and accessibility. In order to define…
Key Points Lay SummaryRelation between hormone replacement therapy and postmenopausal endometriosis.
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 SummaryEfficacy of Uterine Artery Blockage in Endometriosis Management
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 SummaryT-cell-targeted immunotherapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors for the treatment of endometriosis
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 SummaryTo Remove the Ovary(ies) or Not During Hysterectomy for Endometriosis
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 SummaryA new potential therapeutic target in endometriosis: Galectin-3
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 SummaryDoes inhibiting the formation of the new blood vessels aid in endometriosis treatment?
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 SummaryImmunotherapy in endometriosis: a challenging research topic
Dr. Maksym and associates from academic centers in Poland have published their comprehensive review on endometriosis emphasizing the immunological aspects of the disease in a recent issue of the "Journal of Clinical Medicine". Even though endometriosis is a multifactorial disease,…
Key Points Lay SummaryIs "non-hormonal therapy" effective in women with endometriosis-associated pain?
Women with endometriosis require effective treatment due to the negative impact of the disease on quality of life. Hormonal treatments including oral contraceptives, and progestins are usually recommended to suppress ovulation and decrease pelvic pain. However, some women do not…
Key Points Lay SummaryFrom Spain: execution for endometriosis and chronic pelvic pain unresponsive to conventional therapies
The current conventional therapy for chronic pelvic pain for endometriosis is defined as either hormonal or non-hormonal medical treatment starting with combined oral contraceptives progestins or dienogest, and then gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogs and/or surgery. Although conventional therapies usually are successful, still…
Key Points Lay SummaryNew Endometriosis Clinical Trial Now Recruiting Participants
A new clinical trial investigating the effect of cognitive-behavioral therapy on quality of life in patients undergoing surgery for endometriosis is now recruiting participants. The randomized, controlled trial aims to recruit 100 participants, ages 18 to 50 with proven endometriosis…
Key Points Lay SummaryIs it the new gold mine for endometriosis: oral GnRH antagonists
Progestins and combined oral contraceptive pills are the first step hormonal options for women with endometriosis. But the more the use expands the more cases are seen with resistance to progestins. This gave birth to a need for different therapeutic…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe effect of hormone therapy after surgical menopause on endometriosis recurrence
Definitive surgery for severe and advanced endometriosis is hysterectomy with bilateral oophorectomy, which may cause vasomotor symptoms, sleep deprivation, mood change, and dyspareunia in the patients. Furthermore, after the surgical removal of the ovaries, the sudden drop in estrogens causes…
Key Points Lay SummaryPromising therapeutic results in experimental endometriosis model
Tiziana Genovese and associates from Italian academic centers reported their pioneering findings in an experimental model of endometriosis administering an anti-tumor agent and glucocorticoid combination, published in the scientific periodical “International Journal of Molecular Sciences”. Endometriosis is a worldwide common disease…
Key Points Lay SummaryA hot research topic: macrophage reprogramming for endometriosis treatment
Daria Artemova and colleagues from several research institutes of the Russian Federation have published their review on the cellular aspects of endometriosis related to macrophages, particularly emphasizing promising therapeutic options for the future in "International Journal of Molecular Sciences". Macrophages have…
Key Points Lay SummaryProblems in the treatment of deep infiltrating endometriosis
The Deep Infiltrating Endometriosis (DIE) is very aggressive in nature with infiltrating the whole pelvic, colon, rectum, bladder, ureter, and pelvic wall. D’Alterio and colleagues analyzed the advantages and disadvantages of both medical and surgical therapies for DIE. The authors…
Key Points Lay SummaryPostoperative long-term estro-progestin therapy for endometrioma
After the removal of ovarian endometriomas, the major concern is the high recurrence rate of symptoms and endometriotic cysts. The estimated recurrence rate of endometriomas is up to 50% at 5 years after surgery. To prevent the recurrence, postoperatively long-term…
Key Points Lay Summary"Complement" of immune system and endometriosis therapeutics
The complement system is part of the body’s immune system, and plays integral roles in the recognition and clearance of pathogens, apoptotic and necrotic cells. It is composed of over 50 proteins with soluble activation precursor components, regulators and cell…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe role of hormonal treatment after endometriosis surgery
Postoperative hormonal suppression after endometriosis surgery still does not have a uniform approach. The meta-analysis study conducted by Zakhari et al. aimed to find a significant answer regarding this burden. They analyzed the database systems including MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane CENTRAL,…
Key Points Lay SummaryA Possible genetic target for endometriosis treatment
Mutations in the chromosome remodeling complex SWI/SNF subunit ARID1A were first identified in ovarian clear-cell carcinoma and ovarian endometrioid carcinoma, two endometriosis-associated epithelial ovarian cancer subtypes. ARID1A gene mutations are also observed in deep ovarian and deep infiltrating endometriosis, atypical endometrial…
Key Points Lay SummaryEndometriosis and Inflammation: How to Treat it?
Women with endometriosis have systemic and localized inflammation within eutopic and ectopic endometrial tissues found in a study published in the "American Journal of Reproductive Immunology". More importantly, the study also found that the inflammation caused by the disease could…
Key Points Lay SummaryBad bad lipid go away!
Much like the progression of endometriosis, accumulating evidence suggests that systemic chronic inflammation and oxidative stress can contribute to atherosclerosis. The excess low-density lipoprotein increases inflammatory processes in the arteries, which may result in atherosclerosis. Previous studies have shown that…
Key Points Lay SummaryHormone Therapy Before Endometriosis Surgery
Hormonal therapy can be effective for endometriosis, although laparoscopic surgery is required for the frequent drug-resistant symptoms. Laparoscopic surgery can markedly improve endometriosis-associated pain. The administration of GnRH agonist prior to endometriosis laparoscopic surgery may be beneficial to improve surgical…
Key Points Lay SummaryA hope for postoperative symptomatic endometriosis therapy
A new chapter in the treatment of symptomatic endometriosis patients may begin since new medical approaches including oral GnRH antagonists, selective progesterone receptor modulators, aromatase inhibitors, and peritoneal immune response modulators are being actively evaluated. To date, there was only…
Key Points Lay SummaryNon-hormonal chemicals for endometriosis related pain reduction
Loi and colleagues conducted a clinical prospective study at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Cagliari, Italy, and published in the journal "International Journal of Women’s Health". Formation of adhesions and/or interference with the reproductive process endometriosis, severe…
Key Points Lay SummaryUrgent Need For Building Resilience
According to Naeem et al.’s article, “Coping with Covid”, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is the ideal intervention tool to increase resilience. Their study has recently been published in "Kyber Medical University Journal". The authors investigate the psychological impact of the Covid-19…
Key Points Lay SummaryPhytotherapy as an alternative endometriosis treatment
Endometriosis is an estrogen-dependent gynecological disease that affects 5–10% of women in fertile age. Different therapeutic strategies are available to treat this disease, such as surgery, hormonal therapies, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Medical therapy usually consists of different hormonal drugs,…
Key Points Lay SummaryTreatment choices for abdominal wall endometriosis
Welch et.al, from the Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, worked with his gynecologist colleagues to underline the current treatment algorithm of abdominal wall endometriosis in Mayo Clinic. Their experience results recently published in the journal "Abdominal Radiology". Abdominal wall…
Key Points Lay SummaryNatural killer cells receptor expression in endometriosis
Increasingly, studies have reported that endometriosis pathogenesis is related to defect in immune functions. The data also points to the impaired function of natural killer (NK) cells, leading to less cytotoxic NK cell activity in endometriosis. Similar to B and…
Key Points Lay SummaryNanotechnology as a tool for targeted therapy of endometriosis
Endometriosis is a process whereby endometrial cells persistently grow and invade extra-uterine tissue through a primarily estrogen-dependent manner. These ectopic endometrial cells proliferate in sometimes an uncontrolled manner, similar to cancer or inflammatory tissues. To proliferate, cells need cholesterol to…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe link between autoimmunity and endometriosis
A popular model to explain the etiology of endometriosis is Sampson’s theory of retrograde menstruation. In this model, the viable endometrial tissue is spread and attached to the peritoneal cavity through the fallopian tubes during menstruation, resulting in an inflammatory…
Key Points Lay SummaryAnti-angiogenic treatment for endometriosis
Endometriosis is a benign, estrogen-dependent gynecological disorder. The wide variety of surgical and medical treatment has been applied for treating endometriosis, but a definitive therapy has not been achieved so far. Thus, new therapeutic strategies need to be developed. Among…
Key Points Lay SummaryMenstrual blood-derived stem cells
Chen et al. from the Center of Diagnosis and Treatment of İnfectious Disease, Zhejiang University, China penned this recent review in the Journal of Stem Cell Research Therapy which is presenting the clinical potential of MenSCs (Menstrual blood-derived stem cells). …
Key Points Lay SummaryProgesterone Receptor Status in Endometriosis
Some patients do not respond to progesterone hormone therapy. In this study recently published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, the authors led by Hugh S. Taylor from the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences from Yale…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe diagnosis and management of endometriosis in Korea
The Korean Society of Endometriosis has scrutinized the present published literature of endometriosis in the domestic and international platform to provide new guidelines and the clinical management of the disease. The study was recently published in the journal "Obstetrics and Gynecology…
Key Points Lay SummaryFighting with endometriosis
Maduro M.R. reviewed three separate studies on potential new targets to successfully manage endometriosis in her recent paper titled “Novel Strategies to Fight Endometriosis” published in the journal Reproductive Sciences. In the autotransplantation rat model of Torres-Reveron et al., the…
Key Points Lay SummaryHow are endometriosis patients managed clinically?
This review paper by Falcone and Flyckt, entitled “Clinical Management of Endometriosis” published in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology aims to summarize the current strategies for treating endometriosis patients with pain, pelvic dysfunction, and subfertility related to their disease. There are many…
Key Points Lay SummaryComplementary treatments for endometriosis symptoms: acupuncture, exercise, electrotherapy, or yoga?
Endometriosis is associated with debilitating symptoms in some women including dysmenorrhea, chronic pelvic pain, deep dyspareunia, dyschezia, and dysuria. There are a few therapeutic options to treat these symptoms; however, only a few studies have considered treating the pain symptoms…
Key Points Lay SummaryComparing opioid and nonopioid therapy for chronic pain
Over the last few decades, North-America and Europe show continued increase in prescription rates of opioids. Evidence shows significant pain reduction with opioids in the short term compared to placebo, however whether opioids are superior to non-opioids even in the…
Key Points Lay SummaryPatient-centered endometriosis care
Endometriosis is defined as endometrial glands and stroma that exist outside the uterine cavity. Ectopic endometrial tissue and resultant inflammation can cause dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, chronic pain, and infertility, all of which reduce the quality of life. The aim of the…
Key Points Lay SummaryWill my Endometriosis Respond to Hormone Therapy?
Every woman has a different set of hormone receptors in the lining of their uterus. Yet, hormone-based therapies that are used to treat women with endometriosis do not take into consideration these differences among patients. Analyzing, which particular hormone receptors…
Key Points Lay SummaryA clearer picture of "endometriosis after menopause"
Delfin Avendano Tan and Marie Josephine Guanlao Almeria are obstetrician-gynecologists from the Philippines. They recently published a review article titled "Postmenopausal endometriosis: drawing a clearer picture". In this paper, the authors discussed the pathogenesis, risk factors, and management of postmenopausal…
Key Points Lay SummaryPsychosocial impact of endometriosis
In this review article, researchers from Switzerland report a review to outline the consequences of endometriosis on the psychological, sexual, and interpersonal functioning of both patients and their partners, in the journal Best Practice & Research Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology.…
Key Points Lay SummaryEmerging medical treatments for endometriosis
Endometriosis is a disease whereby uterine tissue grows outside the walls of the uterus to the surfaces of other tissues in the body. It is a chronic disease and relies upon estrogen to grow and survive. Current medical therapies take…
Key Points Lay SummaryStem cell therapy for the premature ovarian failure
Premature ovarian failure (POF) is one of the common disorders found in women. The cause of POF is not fully known, but various factors have been suggested. In genetically, X and autosomes chromosome abnormalities could result in some POF. The…
Key Points Lay Summary"N-myc Downstream-Regulated Gene 1" and Endometriosis.
NDRG1 is implicated in many different cellular functions such as differentiation, proliferation, migration, invasion, and vascularization. In endometriosis, NDRG1 is identified as an inhibitor of several important pathways. To focus on the potential function of NDRG1 in endometriosis, Lou et…
Key Points Lay SummaryReason Why Hormone Therapy Alone Cannot Cure Endometriosis Uncovered
Researchers in Belgium have shed light on why hormone therapy cannot cure endometriosis on its own in a study published in the scientific journal Gynecological Endocrinology. Their findings could shape the direction of future research and may help to find…
Key Points Lay SummaryWhen Endometriosis Becomes Malignant
Anglesio and Yong recently wrote a review titled “Endometriosis-associated Ovarian Cancers” that was published in Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology. This review explored the relationship between endometriosis and ovarian cancers. It is important to note that this review is a compilation of…
Key Points Lay SummaryEffects of osteopathic manipulative therapy in patients with colorectal endometriosis
Alternative treatments have been used for colorectal endometriosis, between them Chinese medicine, acupuncture and more recently osteopathic manipulative therapy. The osteopathic manipulative therapy has been shown to reduce the chronic pain working on muscular contractions due to vicious analgesic positions.…
Key Points Lay SummaryA Combination Treatment of Psychotherapy With Somatosensory Stimulation for Pain Reduction
Women suffering from endometriosis often cite pelvic pain, anxiety, and depression as some of the worst core symptoms experienced due to the disease; however, emerging research has shown these signs, specifically pelvic pain, may be influenced by psychological trauma. In…
Key Points Lay SummaryCombo Therapy of Micronized palmitoylethanolamide/trans-polydatin for Endometriosis Pain
Endometriosis is a painful illness and many researchers in the field work to offer women with the disease some form of respite from the suffering. Indraccolo, Indraccolo, and Mignini are three such researchers and they recently published a paper titled…
Key Points Lay SummaryReevaluating response and failure of medical treatment of endometriosis
Endometriosis is a chronic disease affecting more than 10% of women in the fertile age and causing "pain" symptoms, that may require medical therapy. Most medical treatments used for endometriosis exert a hormonal mechanism to curtail estrogen effects either locally…
Key Points Lay SummaryThe Benefits of Primary Surgery
Ahmad, Hussin, and Ahmad recently conducted a cohort study, and they published the results within an article titled “An evaluation of the quality of life in women with endometriosis who underwent primary surgery: a 6-month follow-up in Sabah Women &…
Key Points Lay Summary