Researchers find new treatment for endometriosis

Endometriosis is a condition that causes pelvic pain, menstrual cramps, and infertility, and it affects up to 15 percent of women in the United States who are of reproductive age. Endometriosis occurs when tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside of the uterus. This tumour may expand and bleed, resulting in discomfort and other signs.Infertility, menstrual cramps, and pelvic pain are all symptoms of endometriosis, which affects up to 15 per cent of American women of reproductive age. When tissue similar to the lining on the inside of the womb grows outside of the uterus, endometriosis results. Pain and other symptoms could result from this growth if it swells and bleeds.”Endometriosis depends on estrogen, a hormone well known for regulating a woman’s reproductive functions. Estrogen also affects other organs such as the heart and blood vessels, bones, breasts, skin, hair, mucous membranes, pelvic muscles and the brain,” said corresponding author Dr. Sang Jun Han, associate professor of molecular and cellular biology and in the Center for Reproductive Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine.Endometriosis’ dependence on estrogen and inflammation has guided treatments that are based on systematically removing estrogen and using anti-inflammatory drugs.”However, current endometriosis treatments have low efficacy, high recurrence rate and cause adverse effects in other tissues affected by estrogen,” said Han, who also is a member of Baylor’s Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center.