Research findings may lead to new test for endometriosis

Endometriosis affects one in 10 women worldwide, and many go years before diagnosis. Symptoms include chronic pelvic pain, heavy bleeding during menstruation and/or sexual intercourse, bloating and fatigue.

Katie Burns’ research at the University of Cincinnati is focused on creating a new, non-invasive test for endometriosis, using white blood cells as biomarkers. Burns, PhD, is an associate professor in the Department of Environmental and Public Health Sciences in the College of Medicine. Her work was recently featured on Spectrum News.

“What our study really did was show us definitely that this initiation of disease is more immune system-driven than hormone system-driven,” said Burns.

Burns’ work could shorten the pathway to diagnosis and treatment for many patients and shift clinical approaches toward immune-based understanding and therapies.

Burns’ research is informed by decades of personal experience with the condition. She described chronic pain beginning at about age 10, multiple surgeries, misdiagnoses and years of being told her symptoms were psychological — a trajectory she says is common in a condition that is often normalized.

“Women go for years being told that having pain with menstruation is absolutely normal. This is what you should experience. This is what is normal,” she said.

That normalization contributes to lengthy diagnostic delays, often seven to 10 years, researchers say. Motivated by her own journey, Burns' goal is to develop a non-invasive, at-home diagnostic test that analyzes white blood cells in menstrual fluid to identify endometriosis, to replace laparoscopic surgery as the standard diagnostic tool.

“I’m in endometriosis research because of my own diagnosis,” said Burns.

She added that her priority is not personal recognition but preventing future suffering.

“The goal is to help young women and young girls not have to go through life the way I lived life and didn’t know what was wrong with me, had to hide, and whoever makes it there first, that’s wonderful for society," she said.

Watch the full Spectrum report.

Featured image at top: Katie Burns, PhD, in CARE/Crawley building on UC's medical campus. Photo/University of Cincinnati.