Cited by 241Endometriosis Research and TreatmentGynecological conditions and treatmentsEctopic Pregnancy Diagnosis and Management

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 232 of the 253 references it cites were found in a registry or an index; 1 of the 130 sources its claims cite were checked for support.

Pathogenesis of deep endometriosis

Open access
Gordts, Stephan, Koninckx, Philippe, Brosens, Ivo·2017·Fertility and Sterility

Abstract

The pathophysiology of (deep) endometriosis is still unclear. As originally suggested by Cullen, change the definition "deeper than 5 mm" to "adenomyosis externa." With the discovery of the old European literature on uterine bleeding in 5%-10% of the neonates and histologic evidence that the bleeding represents decidual shedding, it is postulated/hypothesized that endometrial stem/progenitor cells, implanted in the pelvic cavity after birth, may be at the origin of adolescent and even the occasionally premenarcheal pelvic endometriosis. Endometriosis in the adolescent is characterized by angiogenic and hemorrhagic peritoneal and ovarian lesions. The development of deep endometriosis at a later age suggests that deep infiltrating endometriosis is a delayed stage of endometriosis. Another hypothesis is that the endometriotic cell has undergone genetic or epigenetic changes and those specific changes determine the development into deep endometriosis. This is compatible with the hereditary aspects, and with the clonality of deep and cystic ovarian endometriosis. It explains the predisposition and an eventual causal effect by dioxin or radiation. Specific genetic/epigenetic changes could explain the various expressions and thus typical, cystic, and deep endometriosis become three different diseases. Subtle lesions are not a disease until epi(genetic) changes occur. A classification should reflect that deep endometriosis is a specific disease. In conclusion the pathophysiology of deep endometriosis remains debated and the mechanisms of disease progression, as well as the role of genetics and epigenetics in the process, still needs to be unraveled.

Overview

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Written from the paper’s full text.

TL;DR

This review argues that the pathophysiology of deep endometriosis remains debated and proposes two complementary hypotheses: early-onset disease arising from neonatal uterine bleeding and endometrial stem/progenitor cells, and deep endometriosis as a specific benign tumor-like disease driven by genetic/epigenetic changes and recurrent tissue injury and repair (ReTIAR). It recommends abandoning the “deeper than 5 mm” definition in favor of “adenomyosis externa” and suggests that typical, cystic, and deep endometriosis may be three different diseases.

Key findings

  • Deep endometriosis as the only form of disease, without other endometriotic lesions, was present in only 6.5%; under an adenomyosis externa definition, most deep lesions are unique (occasionally 2, rarely 3) and big (mostly >1 cm in diameter).
  • Neonatal uterine bleeding occurs in approximately 5% of neonates, and low birth weight (<2,500 g) was associated with a higher risk of endometriosis, especially deep infiltrating endometriosis; a 743 case-control study reported almost two times higher risk of deep endometriosis with low birth weight.
  • Deep and cystic ovarian endometriosis are consistently found to be clonal in origin, and some 50% of endometriosis lesions can be attributed to hereditary factors; prevalence is increased by 6%–9% in first-degree relatives and by 15% for severe disease.
  • The paper proposes that subtle/microscopic lesions are not a disease until genetic or epigenetic changes occur, after which typical, cystic, and deep endometriosis become three different diseases sharing only endometrium-like tissue.

Methods

  • Narrative review and hypothesis paper; no systematic review, primary data collection, or formal meta-analysis is reported.
  • It synthesizes historical literature, clinical observations, histologic and biochemical findings, genetics/epigenetics, and animal-model evidence to develop two separate hypotheses: Hypothesis I (neonatal uterine bleeding and stem/progenitor cells) and Hypothesis II (genetic/epigenetic changes and benign tumor-like growth).
  • No quantitative analysis or statistical testing is described.

Limitations

  • Stated: the pathophysiology of deep endometriosis remains debated; there is no animal model mimicking specific endometrial functions such as placentation or permitting induction of the different clinical manifestations of endometriosis, so data are limited to clinical, histologic, and biochemical observations.
  • Stated: the neonatal origin of early-onset endometriosis remains hypothetical, though falsifiable by systematic registration of neonatal menstruation; the role of genetics and epigenetics still needs to be unraveled.
  • Evident: as a narrative review, it lacks a systematic search strategy or quantitative synthesis, and its central hypotheses are speculative and not directly tested in the paper.

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Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2017.08.036

Cites

232 of 232 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Nothing to recompute.

Verification

Claims the paper makes

80 Not checked yet · 39 Own interpretation · 20 No basis given · accuracy not yet measured

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Show all 63 claims

  • It may state two separate claims as one. 55
  • Probably not a substantial claim. 31
  • The quote only partly states this claim. 1
76 of 76
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Microscopic and subtle endometriosis lesions are not associated with pain or infertility.

    “Because microscopic and subtle endometriosis lesions are not associated with pain or infertility and most lesions do not progress to more severe pathology, ''endometriosis'' was suggested for subtle lesions to stress that this was not a clinical pathology.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Most endometriosis lesions do not progress to more severe pathology.

    “Because microscopic and subtle endometriosis lesions are not associated with pain or infertility and most lesions do not progress to more severe pathology, ''endometriosis'' was suggested for subtle lesions to stress that this was not a clinical pathology.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Spontaneous deep endometriosis has not been reported in primates.

    “First, spontaneous deep endometriosis has not been reported in primates.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Deep endometriosis and adenomyosis are morphologically very similar.

    “Deep endometriosis, defined as adenomyosis externa, and adenomyosis are morphologically very similar.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Typical lesions are too small to be investigated for clonality.

    “Typical lesions are too small to be investigated for clonality.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The many studies that tried to identify a specific hereditary predisposition, especially those investigating detoxication mechanisms, failed.

    “The many studies that tried to identify a specific hereditary predisposition, especially those investigating detoxication mechanisms, however, failed.”
6 of 6

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2 of 2

Citations

Cites

Show all 253 references

Research works printed but not linked: 5

  1. Cullen, 1896, Adeno-myoma of the round ligament, Johns Hopkins Hosp Bull, 7, 112
  2. Cullen, 1896, Adenoma-myoma uteri diffusum benignum, Johns Hopkins Hosp Bull, 6, 133
  3. Cullen, 1919, The distribution of adenomyomata containing uterine mucosa, Am J Obstet Gynecol, 80, 130
  4. Meyer, 1923, Zur frage der Urnieren-genese van Adenomyomen, Zentralbl Gynakol, 15, 577
  5. Batt, 2007, Mullerianosis, Histol Histopathol, 22, 1161

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Metadata

Authors
Gordts, S., Koninckx, P., & Brosens, I.
Affiliations
  • Leuven Institute for Fertility and Embryology (BE)
  • Universitair Ziekenhuis Leuven (BE)
Corresponding author
Gordts, Stephan
Venue
Fertility and Sterility
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2017-12
Volume
108
Issue
6
Pages
872-885.e1
ISSN
0015-0282 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2765750028
Cited by
241
References
253
Citations by year
2026: 11 · 2025: 20 · 2024: 25 · 2023: 24 · 2022: 45 · 2021: 33 · 2020: 32 · 2019: 30 · 2018: 18 · 2017: 3
FWCI
3.70
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Fertility and Sterility (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • INFM-OAR (INFN Catania) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Reproductive Medicine › Endometriosis Research and Treatment
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Obstetrics and Gynecology › Gynecological conditions and treatments
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Obstetrics and Gynecology › Ectopic Pregnancy Diagnosis and Management
Keywords
deep infiltrating endometriosis, pathogenesis, endometriosis classification, adolescent endometriosis, endometrioma, epigenetic modifications, genetic susceptibility, clonality, dioxins, radiation, disease progression
MeSH terms
Endometriosis, Endometrium, Female, Humans, Phenotype, Prognosis, Risk Factors, Severity of Illness Index, Disease Progression, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Epigenesis, Genetic

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