Proteomics International, the University of Melbourne and the Royal Women’s Hospital have today signed a research agreement to collaborate to develop a simple blood test for endometriosis.
Endometriosis affects one in nine women and costs Australia $9.7 billion each year.
At the moment, there is no simple way to test for endometriosis. The current gold standard for detection is an invasive laparoscopy, a surgical procedure where a camera is inserted into the pelvis through a small cut in the abdominal wall.
On average, it currently takes women 7 to 12 years to be diagnosed.
Key to the research is a world-leading endometriosis database managed by the Women’s, which contains anonymous biological samples and survey information from more than 900 women with
endometriosis. It is the largest and most in-depth endometriosis database and tissue bank in Australia and will be used to validate the panel of biomarkers discovered by Proteomics International.
The Women’s Director of Research, Professor Peter Rogers, and leading endometriosis researcher, Dr Sarah Holdsworth-Carson, said that a non-invasive test for endometriosis could save women years of suffering:
“Endometriosis symptoms often start when women are teenagers,” they said. “But because it’s so hard to diagnose, girls can struggle with unexplained pain throughout their lives. We’re hoping to prevent this with a simple, accessible blood test that can be ordered by a family GP.”
For more information please email us at endometriosis@proteomics.com.au
