“Endometriosis develops when the lining inside the womb grows outside its normal location, for instance attached to the surrounding intestine or the membrane lining the abdominal cavity. This typically causes bleeding, pain, inflammation and infertility,” said corresponding author Dr. Rama Kommagani, associate professor in the Department of Pathology and Immunology at Baylor.

“Generally, it takes approximately seven years to detect endometriosis and is often diagnosed incorrectly as a bowel condition. Thus, delayed diagnosis, together with the current use of invasive diagnostic procedures and ineffective treatments underscore the need for improvements in the management of endometriosis.”