A new non-invasive endometriosis test could speed up diagnosis time and enable millions to access early treatment.
Endometriosis is a condition where tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows elsewhere in the body, affecting women of all ages, including teenagers.
In the UK, it takes on average eight years from the onset of symptoms to get a diagnosis. However, a new urine test, developed by the University of Hull, could cut that to just eight days.
The test, which would be carried out at GP surgeries and clinics, could mean women will not have to undergo the laparoscopic surgery, currently used to diagnose the condition.
Lead researcher Dr Barbara Guinn, reader in biomedical sciences at the University of Hull, says the EndoTect could be crucial, as it would help identify sufferers before serious damage is done.
“We want women to be able to have this urine test and much more quickly go to the right treatment and the sooner we treat endometriosis, the less invasive it is,” she told the BBC.
“The less damage it causes and that’s better for patients, but also for the NHS.
“At the moment, endometriosis is believed to cost the UK economy £8.2bn a year, very close to the amount diabetes costs the UK economy.
“So it has a huge impact, but compared to a lot of other diseases, it’s had a tiny amount of funding. By bringing in a non-invasive test, it’s the first step in making a difference to women, treatment and outcomes.”
Guinn has been testing samples from women with endometriosis and attend specialist clinics at Castle Hill Hospital in East Yorkshire, but she needs to look at more samples to confirm her early findings.
She is now asking for healthy women aged 18 to 50 to volunteer by donating a urine sample into a sterile collection pot.
To volunteer for this study, please email Dr Barbara Guinn at [email protected].
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