Endo blood test coming
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Australian researchers have developed a non-invasive blood test for endometriosis.
The blood test, named PromarkerEndo, was created by Proteomics International Laboratories in Perth and has been detailed in the medical journal Human Reproduction.
Endometriosis, a condition that affects one in nine women and girls in Australia, involves tissue similar to the lining of the uterus growing in other parts of the body. It often results in severe pain and infertility.
Diagnosis currently takes an average of seven years and typically relies on invasive procedures such as laparoscopies.
Professor Peter Rogers, Research Director at the Royal Women’s Hospital and Professor of Women’s Health Research at the University of Melbourne, says a new tool has been desperately needed.
“Currently, it takes on average seven years for a woman to receive a diagnosis, and during that time, she is enduring significant life-impacting symptoms,” he said, adding that the test represents “an exciting advance in the diagnosis of this debilitating disease”.
The research analysed plasma samples from 805 participants, identifying a panel of 10 protein biomarkers.
“We identified 10 protein biomarkers, or ‘fingerprints’ in the blood, that can be found using our test in women and girls with endometriosis,” said Dr Richard Lipscombe, Managing Director of Proteomics International.
These biomarkers enable the test to distinguish between healthy individuals, symptomatic individuals, and those with early-stage endometriosis.
Current methods, including ultrasounds, MRIs, and biopsies, are resource-intensive. The new test’s affordability and non-invasive nature are expected to reduce diagnostic delays and associated costs.
Globally, around 190 million women and teenage girls suffer from endometriosis. In Australia, the condition imposes an annual economic burden of $9.7 billion, with two-thirds of these costs attributed to lost productivity.
