Cause of endo discovered?

[IndigoMoon1234]

It stated in a local newspaper that scientists have discovered the cause of endo, namely a mutation in the white blood cells.

This is wonderful news and could possibly lead to diagnosis without surgery and maybe even a cure.

Here is the link

larnetimes.co.uk/read-this/...

[Albeon]

Yes I saw this too, it's very interesting. Apparently it's always been considered that the immune system plays an important role in the disease and these studies seem to shed more light on how that may be the case.

I found it comforting to know that any research on the condition is happening and producing results, as it is an area of neglect for medicine, especially considering the number of sufferers worldwide.

[IndigoMoon1234 in reply to Albeon]

Yes I completely agree. I had never even heard of it before I was diagnosed and a lot of people - including some doctors - seem to just dismiss it as a 'woman's problem'. This gives us a little hope now.

[Peren]

The cause hasn’t been discovered. One of the possible causes of pain has been discovered, this is very different from how people develop endo.

The research could help develop non-hormonal alternatives for pain relief. Article from science daily below.

sciencedaily.com/releases/2...

[Kateth]

As others have said, this is about a cause of pain in endometriosis, not why endometriosis itself develops.

By the way - it’s not a mutation they’ve found, either. The white blood cells they are talking about become conditioned to behave in certain ways depending on the environment they are in. Genetically, they are the same as the other cells in your body, but the levels of pain-promoting chemicals they produce may be higher due to the inflammation that endo causes. It’s a vicious circle, because those cells will then make everything even more inflamed and painful.

(I’m a macrophage biologist working in chronic inflammation, though not in endo!)

[asoullessstatic in reply to Kateth]

*High fives* Hello other macrophage biologist!!

[luthien]

There are various thoughts on the cause of endometriosis with some research to back them up but not enough to support just one, which is why there's quite a few current thoughts.

One main thought has been mentioned in the Endometriosis UK book:

Endometriosis: The Experts’ Guide to Treat, Manage and Live Well with Your Symptoms

They mention that endometrium cells have been found in the foetus as the uterus is developing, and that sometimes during development / childbirth a "period" is experienced - newborn girls can have slight spotting and that has been recorded statistically. This "period" is due to the increased hormones and stress hormones during birth / entering the world, which is thought as there's a plug of mucus in the cervix some of these cells can embed outside the uterus causing the start of endometriosis. Endometrium like cells outside the uterus have been found in female foetus' which supports a theory that some women are "born" with these cells already outside the uterus. This bit in the book more focuses on the research of what the cause of some pre-puberty girls having the cells already present but not active. It does relate it to low white blood cell count (not a mutation) which is why I thought it might relate to the above you've mentioned and could in the future provide early detection - at present blood test detection just shows the possibility.

It's an interesting read, including the whole book!