When a patient struggling with unexplained infertility or IVF failure tests positive for BCL6 using the ReceptivaDx test, it is most often associated with endometriosis. There are a few different treatment protocols for endometriosis in these situations. Here is what patients should know about BCL6 and endometriosis:
Endometriosis Treatments
There are several different ways that doctors treat endometriosis which affects the uterine lining and causes unexplained infertility. Definitive diagnosis and treatment can be done by laparoscopic surgery. The less invasive approach is hormone supression therapy.
Laparoscopic Surgery
This surgery is minimally invasive and is done under general anesthesia. The tool used by surgeons looks like a small tube with a light at the end of it with a camera attached. This gives the surgeon a view of the endometriosis. This same tool can be used to diagnose and then treat endometriosis. Surgeons remove the endometriosis on the uterine lining and once removed, the chances of a successful pregnancy improve substantially.
Hormone Therapy
Another common treatment is hormone therapy. While there are several different types of hormone therapy, only one is currently recommended to prep a patient for IVF transfer, with published studies showing its effectiveness
- Gonadotropin-releasing Hormone (Gn-RH) Agonists: This hormone therapy treatment lowers the production of estrogen which causes the endometrial tissues to shrink.
Patients testing positive for ReceptivaDx who undergo 60 days of Gn-RH, usually Depot Lupron, have a 5 times increase in the probability of achieving pregnancy compared to no treatment.
Different Types of Endometriosis
Many women experiencing endometriosis may not even be thinking about fertility. While the ReceptivaDx test is specifically recommended to identify women with fertility issues, there are many women in their child-bearing years with silent endometriosis who may not even be aware of their disease. For women with symptoms, the objective becomes pain management. The actual diagnosis and assessment of endometriosis can be categorized into different types by location and by severity. The location and severity is used to stage the disease and will often determine which on-going treatment is right.
Location
Superficial Peritoneal Endometriosis: This type of endometriosis is one of the least severe. This is when endometrial tissue attaches itself to the peritoneal membrane. This membrane lines the pelvis, abdomen, and other organs in the same area.
Endometrioma Endometriosis: Endometriomas are cyst-like structures that can be found in the pelvis, abdomen, and ovaries. They can grow large enough to make fertility unlikely.
Deeply Infiltrating Endometriosis (DIE): Growth of DIE can occur in many areas, including the ovaries, rectum, bowels, bladder, and more. This is a rare type of endometriosis and may cause scarring or bonding of the organs together.
Abdominal Wall Endometriosis: This type of endometriosis attaches itself to the abdominal wall. This can happen after a C-section on the surgical incisions as well. It can be asymptomatic and less severe than other forms.
Severity
The stages of severity are based on the severity of endometriosis. To find which stage a patient is in, doctors may look at the location, the affected area, the adhesion, and the tissue implants.
Stage One
The stages of severity are based on the intensity of the endometriosis. To find which stage a patient is in, doctors may look at the location, the affected area, the adhesion, and the tissue implants.
Stage Two
In the second stage, the implants are deeper and the adhesions are more firm.
Stage Three
The third stage of endometriosis may have deeper scarring, firm lesions, and small ovarian lesions.
Stage Four
Stage four can be more severe in all aspects. This includes deeper implants, several dense adhesions, and more scarring.
When patients find out which type of endometriosis they have, it can be easier to find out what type of treatment is available to them and which works best.
BCL6 and Endometriosis
ReceptivaDx is a test specifically for fertility patients looking for answers to a diagnosis of unexplained infertility, recurrent pregnancy loss, or IVF failure. We test for the presence of BCL6 in the uterine lining. During the collection period, BCL6 should not be there. If found, BCL6 is an indicator of inflammation that is highly associated with endometriosis. Before ReceptivaDx, potential IVF patients would go through three or more transfers, with many never getting pregnant and many never even knowing that undetected endometriosis was the cause of their infertility. With our testing, results come within five to six days and can give patients a quicker route to success. The more you know about the potential causes of infertility, the better equipped you will be to find a treatment plan that is right for you.
For more information, go to ReceptivaDx.com. At ReceptivaDx, we want to assist potential IVF patients in getting the help that they may need. Contact us today to learn more about the test and your options for infertility treatment.