Researchers at the Royal Hospital for Women in Sydney, Australia, have made a groundbreaking discovery that could help in the treatment of women suffering from endometriosis.
The Sydney researchers have reportedly grown tissue of every known case of endometriosis. This will allow them to determine how different treatments affect different cases of the chronic disease.
The Mayo Clinic describes endometriosis as, “An often painful disorder in which tissue similar to the tissue that normally lines the inside of your uterus — the endometrium — grows outside your uterus. Endometriosis most commonly involves your ovaries, fallopian tubes and the tissue lining your pelvis.”
According to the World Health Organization, 10% of women of reproductive age suffer from the debilitating disease. Symptoms can range anywhere from abdominal pain and nausea to depression and infertility.
Professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Sydney Royal Hospital for Women, Jason Abbott, said the development is a breakthrough similar to the one made in breast cancer research.
“Thirty years ago, we treated all breast cancers the same,” he said. “We now know there are many different types of breast cancer and treat them accordingly.”
He added, “By knowing the type of endometriosis, we will be able to predict whether a patient is likely to experience an aggressive, invasive form of the disease and offer treatment to preserve her fertility,” per The Guardian.