Improving outcomes for women with endometriosis

Background ~Endometriosis is a chronic hormone-dependent inflammatory disorder that affects 6- 10% of women of reproductive age. It is defined by the presence of endometrial-like tissue (lesions) found outside the uterine cavity, usually within the pelvis. The most widely reported symptoms of endometriosis are chronic pelvic pain and infertility. Endometriosis-associated pain can have a significant and debilitating impact on quality of life. In the United Kingdom, the impact on society of endometriosis is estimated at £8.2 billion in healthcare/treatment costs coupled with lost productivity. The exact aetiology of endometriosis is unknown. Standard treatments such as analgesic regimens, drugs that induce hormone suppression or invasive surgery can be associated with unacceptable side effects or complications. Notably many medical treatments are contraceptive, and endometriosis-associated symptoms typically recur after women stop taking drug treatments or after surgery. New therapies are therefore needed that: (i) can reduce painful symptoms associated with the condition (ii) are disease modifying (reduce lesion size) (iii) preserve the patients' ability to conceive whilst on medication (iv) have no, or limited, ... (continues)