Endometriosis? What’s that? Endometriosis is an oestrogen dependent condition where tissue similar to the lining of the womb is found elsewhere in the body. It generally affects women from puberty to menopause. The condition presents in different forms and severities. The symptoms vary too, but the main symptom is pain in your lower tummy, pain during periods and sometimes difficulties in getting pregnant.
A recent All Party Parliamentary Group report* has shown that it takes about 8 years to get a diagnosis from the start of symptoms. Many women have to see their GPs and doctors in the hospital several times before being diagnosed. One of the reasons for delay is because endometriosis can only be diagnosed by a keyhole surgery (laparoscopy). During laparoscopy, your doctor may treat early stages of disease by removing or burning away endometriosis tissue. In its severe form the disease can involve other organs such as large bowel. You may be referred to a specialist endometriosis centre for more complex surgery. Additionally, hormonal contraceptives are also used to control the symptoms or prevent endometriosis coming back after surgical removal.
Dr Lucky Saraswat is leading the specialist Endometriosis Centre at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. She is dedicated to improve the diagnosis and treatment of women with endometriosis.
Lucky told us: ‘Women go through a long painful journey before they get a diagnosis of endometriosis. Another journey starts after the diagnosis. The disease has no cure and is prone to recurrence after both hormonal and surgical treatment requiring multiple contacts with health services. There is an urgent need to improve awareness about endometriosis amongst public and health professionals and funding for research into earlier diagnosis and better treatments for endometriosis.’
There are several research studies Lucky and her colleagues are involved in Aberdeen.
REGAL: The study led by Dr Lucky Saraswat is comparing two treatments: keyhole surgery to remove areas of endometriosis with injections that temporarily reduce hormone production from ovaries. They want to find out which treatment is better to treat pain due to endometriosis that has come back after a previous surgery. You can read more about the study here
DIAMOND: This study led jointly by Profs. Kevin Cooper and Justin Clark form Aberdeen and Birmingham is looking at a severe form of endometriosis called deep endometriosis. It will compare if patients do better after surgery or with just taking medication.
ESPriT2: This study is looking at a form of endometriosis called superficial peritoneal endometriosis and led by Prof Andrew Horne and Dr Lucy Whittaker from Edinburgh. This trial will be looking at surgery and whether it is beneficial to patients with this type of endometriosis.
REGAL, DIAMOND and ESPIRIT2 will be starting recruitment in the summer and spring of this year.
FEMaLe: Lucky and her team will also be part of this European research programme: ‘Finding Endometriosis through Machine Learning’. Together with 15 collaborating centres across Europe, this project will focus on improving diagnosis, prevention and care in endometriosis and a personalised approach to treatment.
Additionally, Lucky is working with the Scottish Government and the charity Endometriosis UK on a project to improve earlier diagnosis of endometriosis and reduce variations in care for women with endometriosis across Scotland.
* https://tinyurl.com/endometriosisappg