2024-02-11 23:00:00
news Endometriosis affects approximately 10% of women of childbearing age. But it sometimes takes several years for a diagnosis to finally be made. Today, a new saliva test could detect the disease quickly and non-invasively. What does this test consist of? Is it more reliable than imaging tests?
See also the article: Endometriosis: causes, symptoms, treatments
Endometriosis is a chronic disease that causes endometrial tissue to overgrow outside the uterus. Half of affected women do not experience symptoms. For others, the disease is associated with severe menstrual pain, pain during sexual intercourse, back pain, depression or even fertility problems.
See also the article: How do I know if I suffer from uterine fibroids or endometriosis?
How is endometriosis diagnosed today?
Today, endometriosis can only be diagnosed during more or less invasive examinations: vaginal (and sometimes rectal) examination, ultrasound, MRI, hysterography, laparoscopy.
However, these different techniques have shown their limits. The clinical examination is often negative or leads to an erroneous diagnosis. In particular, in minimal to moderate forms of the disease.
To confirm the diagnosis of endometriosis, it is therefore often necessary to undergo specialized imaging examinations such as MRI or transvaginal ultrasound. However, these procedures are not always prescribed as first intention. In addition, they have certain limitations. They are not always precise enough and rarely detect endometriosis at an early stage.
Result: The diagnosis is delayed or incorrect and the disease worsens.
See also the article: Endometriosis: what are the most common symptoms?
Saliva test: hope for early diagnosis?
The French company Ziwig recently developed non-invasive saliva tests capable of detecting endometriosis at an early stage. A simple saliva sample taken by the doctor and sent to a laboratory for analysis would make it possible to establish a diagnosis with 95% reliability (according to Ziwig).
The saliva test was developed from a sample of 200 women, 153 of whom were diagnosed with endometriosis. Concretely, the scientists sought to identify biomarkers characteristic of the disease in these patients and managed to isolate 109 microRNAs (small fragments of RNA) involved in the disease.
See also the article: Pain during periods: when should you worry?
What are the limits of the saliva test?
This test was developed and validated in a cohort of patients presenting symptoms suggestive of endometriosis. These results cannot therefore be transposed to the general population, as a generalized screening test, but rather as a diagnostic test. That is to say, it would be aimed at the population of patients who present symptoms suggestive of endometriosis.
In some cases, it could be more reliable than current invasive tests. It would also allow early treatment of the disease.
Already marketed in several countries, the test should be available in Belgium during 2024.
See also the article: What treatments to fight endometriosis?
Sources :
Last updated: February 2024
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