Medical Minute: Research Aims to Develop Non-Invasive Diagnostic Method For Endometriosis

Endometriosis, a painful condition affecting one in ten women, often takes years to diagnose due to limited awareness and understanding. New research at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research aims to develop a non-invasive diagnostic method, offering hope to millions of women.

Endometriosis, a chronic and painful condition affecting approximately one in ten women, can take years to diagnose due to limited awareness and understanding. The symptoms, which can include heavy bleeding, severe pain, and cramping, often go unrecognized or dismissed, leading to significant delays in treatment.

Anna Delligatti, a gym teacher, has been living with these debilitating symptoms for years. "The cramping almost feels like a stabbing," she says, describing the daily challenges she faces. Despite her pain, Delligatti was repeatedly dismissed by doctors until she discovered that endometriosis runs in her family. She eventually underwent laparoscopic surgery, currently the only definitive way to diagnose the condition.

"The toll is not just physical; it's mental," Delligatti explains. "Before the diagnosis, you don't know what's wrong with you, and you don't have people listening to you. So, you think that you're being overdramatic."

Delligatti is one of more than 3,000 women participating in a clinical trial at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. The study, led by Dr. Christine Metz, aims to develop a non-invasive method to diagnose endometriosis.

"There are tissues that reflect the lining of the uterus, which we have found to be different in patients with endometriosis compared to those who are unaffected," Dr. Metz explains. "We can collect menstrual blood samples from patients who are symptomatic and look for those differences."

Dr. Metz hopes that this research will lead to a new FDA-approved diagnostic method, reducing the need for invasive surgery. "Currently, patients wait seven to ten years to be diagnosed. We're hoping to finalize this method and make it available to the population within the next few years," she says.

Despite undergoing surgery, which can also serve as a treatment for endometriosis, Delligatti continues to struggle with bleeding and pain. However, she remains optimistic about the future.

"I never want anyone to go through what I went through," she says. "If I could be even the smallest part in changing that, that's the most amazing feeling ever."

Delligatti hopes that her participation in the research will help more women receive timely diagnoses and treatment.