A surprising cause of endometriosis could lead to cure : Short Wave : NPR
Scientists are searching for clues to explain why some people develop endometriosis.
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Since the age of nine or ten, Katie Burns has had debilitating pain from endometriosis, a condition where tissue resembling the uterine lining grows outside the uterus. For years, Katie was in the dark about what was causing her pain. Even after a diagnosis at age 20 it was hard to find relief, or even answers about her condition. Her search for better care is part of what led her to a career studying the disease, which affects tens of millions of people worldwide. And in 2012, she discovered something new about its origins. Today, we talk to Katie and science reporter Meredith Wadman about that discovery, which points to a surprising culprit of endometriosis — the immune system.
Read Meredith’s full piece in Science Magazine HERE.
Interested in more health science? Email us your question at shortwave@npr.org.
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This episode was produced by Berly McCoy, edited by Rebecca Ramirez and Amina Khan and fact checked by Tyler Jones. The audio engineer was Robert Rodriguez.
