Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals have recently announced a ‘world-first’ in endometriosis care, according to their website.
Their breakthrough – a drug designed to block the protein interleukin-8 – is the first non-hormonal and non-surgical treatment to be trialled. Endometriosis affects one in ten UK women and occurs when tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows in other places, causing symptoms such as abdominal and pelvic pain, fertility problems, and, in some cases, damage to pelvic organs.
The treatment available is limited; using painkillers, hormonal contraceptives, surgical removal of tissue, and hysterectomy are currently the only options listed by the NHS. The associated risks and repercussions are well-established; regular long-term use of ibuprofen has been linked to stomach bleeding, as well as damage to the liver and kidneys, whilst surgical removal of tissue does not prevent that tissue from returning in a few years’ time. Hysterectomy, whilst being unsuitable for any patients who wish to carry children in the future, is also not always accessible to those intending to be child-free, since patients can be refused or advised against the procedure.
The drug that Norfolk and Norwich University are trialling hopes to offer a less invasive treatment, designed to target inflammation. Even if the treatment successfully passes the trial stage and is made available to patients, issues remain. As endometriosis can only be officially diagnosed with surgical examination (laparoscopy), it is uncertain whether people who are unofficially diagnosed, based on their symptoms, will have access to the drug. Many more go undiagnosed; the persistence of stigma surrounding female reproductive health leaves many thinking that their pain is simply ‘normal’, or that their health concerns will not be taken seriously.
Underfunding is also a critical problem – the campaigning group Endometriosis UK outlines in their most recent annual report that funding still needs to be pushed for to pursue research and treatments for the condition. The millions who suffer from endometriosis continue to face such obstacles – improvements need to be made not just in the healthcare system but in the discourse surrounding female health. To destigmatise reproductive conditions and to listen to people’s health concerns remains a priority; without this, even those with the best access to healthcare may go untreated. However, the breakthrough outlined by NNUH offers some hope to sufferers; whilst the drug’s approval will likely take some years, the possibility of a less invasive treatment is a promising development for all those in need of care.
“Endometriosis in Wall of Fallopian Tube” by euthman is licensed under CC BY 2.0.