EUROGENETIC

ENDOMETRIOSIS is a pathology characterized by the presence of endometrial-like tissue (the mucosa that

(normally it lines only the uterine cavity) outside the uterus, in various organs such as

ovaries, tubes, rectum, intestines, vagina and bladder.

During menstruation, these pieces of tissue can react to hormonal changes, causing a

inflammatory process that causes bleeding, severe pain, and the formation of symptomatic lesions.

The pathology can also present itself in an asymptomatic form and is often diagnosed only during

checks performed by women following difficulties in conceiving.

This eventuality occurs in confirmation of the

the fact that a significant percentage (30-50%) of patients affected by endometriosis also suffer from infertility.

In Italy, endometriosis affects approximately 10-15% of women of reproductive age (approximately 3 million women).

Generally, the pathology appears between the ages of 25 and 35, but it can appear as early as adolescence.

The most significant problem in endometriosis (which is part of the so-called invisible pathologies) is the diagnostic delay.

Most women suffering from endometriosis have had to face a long and stressful journey, often with serious psychological repercussions, before receiving a correct diagnosis.

A recent Italian study1 estimated an average delay of about 11 years between the onset of the first symptoms

symptoms and diagnosis of endometriosis, with a peak reaching around 15 years of age for those patients whose

symptoms appear before age 20.

During this period, women suffering from endometriosis

undergo all kinds of analyses and tests before receiving a correct diagnosis, chronicity and

to the evolution of the disease.

Since endometriosis is a complex pathology, often with a diffuse and peritoneal location, in some cases it is

a diagnosis can only be made following surgical diagnostic procedures.

The investigation is currently underway

Laparoscopic surgery represents the gold standard for the diagnosis of peritoneal endometriosis and for differential diagnoses.

However, it is an invasive examination performed under general anesthesia and, as with any other examination, involves

surgical procedure, potential intra- or post-operative complications.

This is why in the last decade research has invested huge resources and energy in developing a test

non-invasive diagnostic test that allows for a sensitive and specific diagnosis of the disease.