In France, one in ten women of childbearing age is affected by endometriosis. Diagnosis is always long and difficult; women experience an average of eight years of diagnostic wandering. The French have developed a rapid diagnostic test that could well be a game-changer!
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L’endometrium is a mucosa that lines the inside of the uterus. With each cycle, the endometrium thickens to accommodate any embryo. If there has been no fertilization, the excess endometrium is evacuated in the form of blood: these are the rules. In some women, portions of the endometrium will grow in abnormal places such as the digestive system, bladder, ovaries or the peritoneum. This pathology causes pains important during menstruation, too often considered “normal” by the medical profession and by women themselves. L’endometriosis can also be at the origin of difficulties in conceiving, even of a infertility. others symptoms are possible according to women, such as digestive disorders or urinary disorders.
Thanks to the work of patient associations, this pathology is now better known to the medical profession and the general public. She comes to be recognized as an ALD (long affection duration). One of the problems of the disease is the delay in diagnostic : eight years on average! The French have developed a test that could revolutionize the management of the disease.
A very powerful diagnostic test
A team highlighted the link between certain microRNAs and the onset of the disease. MicroRNAs are regulators that circulate in most liquids of the body such as blood, urine or saliva. There are more than 2,600 identified microRNAs. But which ones are involved in endometriosis? To find out, the authors analyzed the saliva of 153 women suffering from the disease and 47 healthy women. Thus, they were able to identify 109 microRNAs involved, a sort of signature of the pathology. Based on these results, a rapid diagnostic test was developed. And the test performance is outstanding. It is able to detect:
- 96.7% of positive cases (very few false negatives);
- 100% of negative cases (no false positives).
In addition, the test has the ability to diagnose all forms of endometriosis, from the most superficial to the deepest.
A revolution for patients
Until now, the gold standard for diagnosing endometriosis was laparoscopy. This review invasive is distressing for the patients, requires General anaesthesia and represents a significant cost. The saliva test is delivered in pharmacies, on medical prescription. It involves putting some saliva in a tube and mailing it to a lab. A few days later, the patient goes to her doctor to show her the results.
The current diagnostic error represents a loss of opportunity for patients. Indeed, in addition to the pain suffered, the lesions can worsen in the absence of treatment. We therefore hope that this test will soon be available for all women.
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