Current Understanding of Endometriosis Pathophysiology and Future Perspectives

Endometriosis—the growth of uterine-like tissue outside the uterus—is a devastating disease that severely reduces the quality of life of those affected, resulting in missed days from school and work due to intractable pelvic pain. While endometriosis was first recognized over 100 years ago, we still do not fully understand the mechanisms of the disease, and most treatments address the symptoms of pain and discomfort but do not prevent lesion growth or disease progression. Endometriosis is a significant cause of infertility; 50% of patients seeking fertility care have endometriosis. Definitive diagnosis typically requires histological examination of excised lesional tissue, necessitating surgical excision of lesions. Therefore, many patients have a significant diagnosis delay-up to 11 years following the first onset of symptoms. While modern research technologies hold the potential to vastly improve diagnosis and treatment, women's health, particularly genitopelvic health, is understudied and underfunded. Here, we summarize what is currently known about the mechanism and ongoing efforts to develop new biomarkers and therapies that target the root causes of disease.