Thanks for sharing. The more studies the closer we may be to a cure!! Hallelujah.

I saw this before, but how is this anything new?

Alana,
I am confused as to how you don't understand the significance of this research...
Prior to this study (which is very new, just released within the last 5 mnths) there wasn't a known if there was connection between certain cells in the body and the symptoms that many endo suffers deal with.
This study allowed researchers to find 13 specific cytokines that may be responsible for the symptoms that some people have.
There are many different cytokines in the body. They are released by cells and affect the behavior of other cells, and sometimes the releasing cell itself and can play a huge role in inflammation.
The fact that 13 specific types of cytokines may play a role in endo is VERY significant. Because this info was found more research can be done to see if this finding can leaf to earlier diagnosis, (super important), better treatments (also super important), possible better classification of disease (which again, could be mean better treatment) and who knows maybe even one day a cure...Which for those of us who have endo is the ultimate goal.

This research is very different from any other finding thus far, which is why it is so significant. To find specific cells in the body that potentially play a direct role in a disease process is like hitting the lottery in the medical research community. As someone who works in the medical field, suffers from endo and other conditions that sometimes comes a long with endo, I am personally very excited about these very new findings.

What a great study and awesome info! Thanks for sharing!!

I'm also wondering why you say, Alana, this is nothing new. I've had endo for 20 years....been researching it for 15 & I've never come across this before.
I'm glad that they are looking into new avenues!

It also kind of sounded like it could potentially allow diagnoses without surgery in the future? That'd be awesome...even if surgery were still the main treatment, you could seek out a specialist the first time instead of having a lap with your regular ob/gyn like so many of us did only to realize they are in over their head.

I think I might also do a clinical study for the cancer that I had. This German company takes blood samples and couples it with the exact type of cancer that I had and from there they are going to see how my blood will react to certain treatments/meds etc. So that way should it ever come back they will know the best treatment options for me.

I'm hoping that this will also hold true for endo some day so I find this study to be of good use. That way some of us will have the luxury of not undergoing unnecessary treatments or have to take certain drugs .

Thanks!

I guess I saw it like 6 months ago so I figured it wasn't new. My apologies.