Diagnosing endometriosis without waiting years: after the saliva test developed by the Lyon start-up Ziwig (see box), a team of Australian researchers is taking on the challenge of detecting this chronic disease marked by pain and fertility problems in the blood. The Australian company Proteomics International, in collaboration with the Royal Women's Hospital and the University of Melbourne, published at the end of 2024 in the journal Human Reproduction a study involving 749 women. Objective: to identify biomarkers characteristic of endometriosis within the plasma itself, in the blood. A world first and promising indeed, but which must be welcomed with nuance, because additional validations and larger-scale analyses will be necessary to confirm its usefulness in a clinical setting.
Endometriosis: soon a blood test to detect the disease without waiting years?
February 12, 2025
By Marine Laplace THE Subscribers
A team of Australian researchers has identified 10 proteins characteristic of endometriosis to detect the disease directly in the blood. An encouraging advance. But to become a reliable and accessible tool, this test must still prove its effectiveness, particularly in the face of risks of false positives.
Illustration of endometrial-like tissue on the fallopian tubes, ovaries, and surface of the uterus. Endometriosis is a condition in which cells similar to those in the uterine lining (darker pink) begin to grow outside the uterus. The tissue that grows in these areas does not shed during menstruation like healthy uterine tissue, leading to a buildup of abnormal tissue that can cause inflammation, scarring, and painful cysts.
DESIGN CELLS/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRA / DCE / Science Photo Library via AFP
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