'Game-changing' NHS tests could diagnose endometriosis early and spare years of agony

'Game-changing' NHS tests could diagnose endometriosis early and spare years of agony Women with endometriosis often endure years of debilitating pain, but a survey found more than half of women with the condition visited their GP more than 10 times before receiving a diagnosis Women could finally avoid waiting years for an endometriosis diagnosis as GPs will be able to start offering new tests. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has backed two non-invasive tests that could dramatically cut the average wait for a diagnosis, which currently stands at more than nine years. The painful condition causes cells similar to those in the lining of the womb to grow in other parts of the body. It affects around one in 10 women of reproductive age in the UK and can cause debilitating pelvic pain, heavy periods, fatigue and infertility. Under draft guidance, the tests - EndoSure and Endotest - have been approved for use on the NHS for three years while further evidence is gathered on how well they work. The tests will be rolled out to GP practices, although not all surgeries will have immediate access, and patients without access should be overseen by a healthcare professional with expertise in diagnosing endometriosis. Endotest uses a saliva sample to look for tiny biological markers called microRNAs linked to endometriosis, while EndoSure measures electrical signals in the gut using sensor pads placed on the abdomen. While neither test is designed to diagnose the condition on its own, it is believed they could help women receive treatment much sooner by identifying those who need further investigation. The move comes after a survey of more than 10,000 women by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Endometriosis found more than half had visited their GP more than 10 times before finally receiving a diagnosis. More than half also said they had attended A&E because of their symptoms. Dr Anastasia Chalkidou, healthtech programme director at NICE, said: “A diagnosis of endometriosis can for some women take the best part of a decade, with the UK average standing at nine years and four months, and rising to 11 years for those from ethnically diverse communities. “That delay means living with chronic pelvic pain that affects daily life, relationships and work. These technologies have the potential to change that by giving primary care professionals better non-invasive tools to identify endometriosis earlier, allowing earlier and better treatment. “Our draft guidance reflects our commitment to getting promising innovations to patients quickly, while making sure the evidence to support their wider use is built in a rigorous way.” Among those to benefit from the test was 15-year-old Simran Chavda, from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, who spent years searching for answers after developing severe pelvic pain aged 13. She said: “Getting my diagnosis honestly felt like the best thing in the world. Everyone kept saying it might be irritable bowel syndrome. I was sent to hospital multiple times and sent back home. When I finally found out what it was, I was so relieved because now I knew what the next step was.” Her mother, Sharan Uppal, 46, paid for the gut test for her daughter, which came back positive. Simran added: “The test itself was easy, it wasn’t painful at all. Just drinking water and being monitored. Really simple. “And I’m already starting to feel better after my surgery. I know it’s never going to go away completely, but I know I’m not going to be in pain all the time, and that means everything.” Dr Gail Busby, consultant gynaecologist at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, said: “As a gynaecologist working with both adults and adolescents, I’ve seen first-hand how endometriosis can devastate young people’s lives, causing them to miss school, struggle through GCSEs and miss out on the experiences that matter most during those formative years. Too many of my patients have spent years being told their pain is normal when it isn’t. “An earlier diagnosis doesn’t just change one person’s life, it frees up appointments and surgical slots for everyone waiting for care.”