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SNIPPETS...
So much tremendous
research was presented, not only by the invited speakers,
but also through the 380 abstracts submitted to the
meeting. Here are a few snippets demonstrating the diversity
of topics:
Endometriosis
risk among women with moles, freckles and skin sensitivity
to sun
“We have demonstrated that women with a higher
number of moles or freckles, or a greater susceptibility
to sunburn, have a higher risk of endometriosis,”
said researcher, Marina Kvaskoff. Earlier research has
suggested that endometriosis and malignant melanoma
may share some common genetic traits.
The study by the National Institute
of Health and Medical Research in France compared data
on lifestyle and medical history from 97,213 French
women born between 1925 and 1950. Of these women, 4,191
had endometriosis.
Ms Kvaskoff said while the study showed
a clear association between endometriosis and moles,
freckles and skin sensitivity to the sun, there were
no positive indicators of susceptibility to the disease
among women based on hair or skin colour.
Protein
signature of endometriosis provides hope of new diagnostic
tool
Researchers at Prince Henry’s
Institute in Melbourne, in collaboration with Monash
IVF, have studied the structure of proteins in endometrial
tissue to identify potential new biological markers
of endometriosis.
Dr Andrew Stephens said the study involved
a comparison of proteins in the endometrium. Using an
analytical technique known as mass spectrometry, the
researchers identified 60 proteins that were expressed
at lower levels in the endometrial tissue, whereas only
10 proteins demonstrated increased expression.
“The research is at an early
stage, but it does provide encouragement that it may
enable the development of new diagnostic tools, or even
better therapeutic approaches to the disease",
said Dr Stephens.
Study
shows girls underweight at age 16 have higher risk of
endometriosis
Dr Christina Nagle, a Research Fellow with the Queensland
Institute of Medical Research, gathered childhood and
teenage weight information from 268 Australian women
with an average age of 36, each of whom had moderate
to severe endometriosis.
“The results
indicated that women who at the age of 16 were underweight,
as reported by both themselves and their mothers, were
at an increased risk of endometriosis,” Dr Nagle
said. Dr Nagle said it was not yet known why underweight
girls at the age of 16 were at a greater risk of endometriosis.
“However, we suspect it may be
the result of different hormonal influences before and
after the first occurrence of menstruation, which in
turn may reflect factors in very early life, even in
utero, rather than the direct result of dietary or exercise
patterns.
Green
tea may help control endometriosis
Green tea, the world’s most widely consumed beverage,
has long been recognised for its health benefits, and
now it is suggestd that it can help control endometriosis.
Researchers at the Chinese University of Hong Kong
have confirmed that catechins, or potent antioxidant
compounds in green tea, restrict the formation of new
blood vessels (angiogenesis), which assist in the spread
of endometriosis.
The team, lead by Dr Hui Xu took tissue from women
with endometriosis and transplanted it into laboratory
mice, which were randomly injected with either a component
of green tea extract or a saline solution. The mice
injected with green tea extract showed significantly
less formation of new blood vessels compared with the
mice receiving a saline solution.
Angiogenesis plays an essential role in the growth and
survival of endometriosis, and is a normal process in
growth and development, as well as in wound healing. However,
it is also known to have a role in the transition of tumors
from a dormant to malignant state.
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