Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi
New Delhi, May 27: A new study by a French biotechnology company has suggested that menstrual blood could help doctors detect endometriosis earlier without the need for invasive surgery, offering hope to millions of women affected by the condition worldwide.
The study, published in Nature Communications Medicine on May 16, found that specific DNA methylation patterns in stem cells derived from menstrual blood could distinguish women with endometriosis from those without the disease.
Researchers from Endogene.bio identified more than 400 regions in the genome where DNA methylation patterns differed between healthy individuals and women suffering from endometriosis. Many of these regions were linked to genes associated with inflammation and abnormal tissue growth, both key characteristics of the disease.
For the research, scientists analysed menstrual blood samples collected from 19 healthy women and 23 women diagnosed with endometriosis. The team isolated endometrial mesenchymal stem cells (eMSCs), which play a role in repairing the uterine lining during menstrual cycles, and studied their genomic methylation patterns.
DNA methylation refers to the attachment of tiny chemical markers called methyl groups to DNA, influencing how genes are activated or suppressed.
Experts described the findings as promising but cautioned that larger studies would be required before the method could be widely adopted.
“This is a very interesting study. The work is new, but the numbers are very small; validation is needed in a larger and more heterogeneous group,” said Hugh Taylor, Chair of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Reproductive Sciences at Yale School of Medicine.
One of the leading theories explaining endometriosis suggests that menstrual blood containing stem cells flows backward through the fallopian tubes into the pelvic cavity, where these cells implant and form endometriotic lesions.
Although retrograde menstruation occurs in nearly 90 per cent of women, only some eventually develop endometriosis.
Researchers believe the altered stem cells identified in the study may help explain why certain women develop the condition while others do not.
The research team also used machine learning models to analyse methylation signatures capable of predicting disease status. Some DNA methylation changes observed in endometriosis were found to resemble patterns previously identified in ovarian cancer, uterine fibroids and other cancers.
Scientists globally are exploring several non-invasive methods to improve early diagnosis of endometriosis, including tests based on inflammatory proteins, immune markers, saliva samples and advanced imaging technologies.
Endometriosis occurs when tissue similar to the uterine lining grows outside the uterus, commonly affecting the ovaries and fallopian tubes. The condition often causes severe pelvic pain, painful periods, painful bowel movements, discomfort during sexual intercourse and fertility complications.
Medical experts said diagnosing endometriosis remains difficult because symptoms vary widely and do not always reflect the severity of the disease.
Consultant Obstetrician Vijeya Sherbet from Manipal Hospital, Bengaluru, noted that some women with severe disease may experience no symptoms at all, while others suffer intense pain even with smaller lesions.
Historically, laparoscopic surgery has remained the gold standard for diagnosing endometriosis. While MRI scans and transvaginal ultrasounds can detect some forms of the condition, superficial endometriosis often goes unnoticed because it causes tiny lesions that are difficult to identify through imaging.
Globally, endometriosis affects nearly 190 million women of reproductive age. In India alone, an estimated 42 million women are believed to suffer from the condition, making it one of the most underdiagnosed gynaecological disorders.