Australian researchers make world-first endometriosis breakthrough

This could quite literally change the lives of women everywhere

New breakthrough is set to change endometriosis treatment. Image: Getty

Scientists at the Royal Hospital for Women in Sydney have made a breakthrough in how to treat endometriosis that could save women years of pain and suffering.

Endometriosis sufferers will know that the pelvic condition is one of the most painful disorders a woman can have. Not only is it debilitating, but it can also dramatically impact a woman’s fertility.

With one in nine women diagnosed with endo in Australia, the push for better, more effective treatment has been something Australian medical experts have been trying to achieve over the last decade.

This week, researchers from Sydney’s Royal Hospital for Women made their first breakthrough in years that could change the treatment of endometriosis for good.

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Endometriosis is a condition where tissue, similar to that of the lining of the uterus, grows outside of the uterus causing inflammation and scar tissue in the pelvic region.

Currently, the treatment for endo sufferers is a long and arduous process of hospital referrals, internal and external scans, followed by an invasive surgery and a period of recovery. In Australia, the average time of treatment to recovery is a whopping seven years, meaning women suffering from the condition are forced to endure often agonising pain for years before they can access effective treatment.

This week, scientists at the Royal Hospital for Women in Sydney made a breakthrough in their endo research – successfully growing tissue in their lab from every known type of endometriosis (because there’s not just one) and have used these to observe the changes in the tissue cells after initiating various treatments.

This development allows researchers to vary their treatments across all types of endometriosis cases and help determine whether each woman would need further fertility treatment. They hope that it may lead them to a less invasive, and quicker treatment for all patients.

Endometriosis affects one in nine women. Image: Getty

Professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at the Sydney Royal Hospital for Women, Jason Abbott, commented on the development saying that the approach is comparable to the progressive research conducted in the treatment of breast cancer three decades ago.

"Thirty years ago, we treated all breast cancers the same," Abbott said.

"We now know there are many different types of breast cancer and treat them accordingly.

"This is a similar breakthrough and will allow more targeted and therefore more effective treatment, depending on the type of endometriosis a patient has."

Abbot added that researchers are now able to treat each case of endometriosis individually, determining whether the condition is an aggressive and invasive form or a mild and manageable case, and offer tailored treatment plans to preserve fertility.

On average, it takes more than six years to be diagnosed with endometriosis. Image: Getty.

Globally, endometriosis affects approximately 10 per cent of women and girls of reproductive age, usually presenting in patients after their first menstrual cycle and can last until the onset of menopause (an average of 40 years) according to the World Health Organisation.

In many cases, endometriosis can cause fertility complications as the growths caused by the condition can block the fallopian pathways and distort the pelvic anatomy. 

Currently, an estimated 30-50 per cent of cases experience permanent infertility as a result of endometriosis.

Originally published as Australian researchers make world-first endometriosis breakthrough