New Stool Test Offers Non-Invasive Diagnosis for Endometriosis

Over 6 million women in the U.S. suffer from endometriosis, a chronic condition often misdiagnosed, leading to an average of 5 to 7 years before an accurate diagnosis. But a new test could help women with suspected endometriosis get diagnosed faster and with less invasive methods: stool sampling—a technique significantly less invasive than the surgical procedure typically required for diagnosis.

New stool sample test may help diagnose endometriosis non-invasively

A recent study in Med revealed that endometriosis can be detected through a bacterial metabolite in stool samples.

Bacterial metabolites are essential for maintaining our overall health as they influence our immune responses, metabolism and tissue balance.

The bacterial metabolite 4-hydroxyindole (4HI) appears in lower levels in the stool samples of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) as well as those with endometriosis.

Research suggests that 4HI can prevent the formation of endometriotic lesions, how those lesions grow and change and it may even be effective in reducing disease-related pain.

As a first-step alternative to a laparoscopy—an invasive surgical procedure necessary to diagnose endometriosis—this research offers a promising, non-invasive outlook on the future of diagnosing endometriosis.

“When women suspect that they may have symptoms of endometriosis, they could take this non-invasive test and have some certainty that ‘Ok, I might have this disease,” said Rama Kommagani , associate professor of pathology at Baylor College of Medicine and a co-author and of the study.

How this new test to diagnose endometriosis improves women’s healthcare

An estimated 1.5 billion women worldwide do not have access to necessary OB-GYN facilities. Because they are unable to see a gynecologist regularly, many women are unaware that they are suffering from endometriosis.

On top of the accessibility issue, the process of diagnosing endometriosis is both invasive and expensive. A diagnostic laparoscopy surgery can cost upwards of $5000 out-of-pocket.

“The development of a simple diagnostic tool, such as a stool test, could have a transformative impact on both women and society by providing an easier means of diagnosis,” Meltem Özkan Girgin, MD, an OB/GYN specialist at the London Regenerative Institute in the United Kingdom, told Medical News Today .

As the research stands now, this stool sample test will not be able to replace surgical diagnostic approaches. However, it will be an essential and easy first step for at-risk women in determining whether or not they have endometriosis before progressing into treatment.

Why is it so difficult to diagnose endometriosis?

Similar to ovarian cancer , endometriosis is difficult to diagnose because the symptoms of the condition overlap with several other diagnoses.

In patients with endometriosis , tissue that resembles the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus. This growth manifests in a variety of symptoms including painful periods, pelvic pain, pain with sex, pain with bowel movements and excessive vaginal bleeding.

These more intense symptoms are often coupled with more general symptoms that indicate intestinal issues such as fatigue, diarrhea, constipation, bloating and nausea.

Patients suffering from any or all of these symptoms may be incorrectly diagnosed with appendicitis, ovarian cysts, bowel obstruction, ectopic pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases, among several other conditions.

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