Aug 26, 2026 · 27 min · 9 segments
In this episode of Tiny Show and Tell Us, we discuss new blood tests and research into blood biomarkers that could make diagnosing endometriosis faster and less invasive. Next, we unpack…
Sam JonesHostDeboki ChakravartiHost
Emily SchneiderGuestI have a message from listener Cecilia, who wrote, "March is Autoimmune and Endometriosis Awareness Month.
It's interesting to see the new research coming out, such as new blood tests for endo and the Nobel Prize for, uh, the FOXP3 gene." So first off, uh, Cecilia mentioned the Nobel Prize for FOXP3.
Uh, this is a protein that plays a huge role in autoimmune disease because one of its job is to control regulatory T cells.
I feel like it's a very, like, who watches the watchmen kind of situation.
Their job is to make sure that your immune system isn't, isn't going to attack your own body.
But today, we're gonna focus on the other part of Cecilia's message, which is about endometriosis and blood tests to detect it.
Endometriosis isn't an autoimmune condition, but it does involve the immune system.
It's a chronic condition where tissues that are similar to the lining of the uterus grow outside of the uterus.
And because the body is, like, thrown off [laughs] by that, this can cause inflammation, it can cause scar tissue to form, and it can be really painful.
I think, like, one of the classic ways that I've heard, I guess, of people realizing that they might have endometriosis is people who have really, really terrible, um, menstrual cramps, uh, might realize.
And then another time that I've heard, like, people kind of realizing they might have endometriosis is when it pops up in particular with, like, fertility issues.
It might become, like, one of the possible avenues people explore, um, that could be explaining these fertility issues.
Um, things like hormonal contraceptives I think are supposed to be really helpful, particularly with those painful periods.
In some cases, I think this is not as common now, I think it's come- considered maybe more of a extreme case now, um, but I did read that some people will have a hysterectomy to actually remove the uterus.
Um, but that is, like, a much more involved procedure and has a lot more that you have to deal with after as well.
I have a message from listener Cecilia, who wrote, "March is Autoimmune and Endometriosis Awareness Month.
It's interesting to see the new research coming out, such as new blood tests for endo and the Nobel Prize for, uh, the FOXP3 gene." So first off, uh, Cecilia mentioned the Nobel Prize for FOXP3.
Uh, this is a protein that plays a huge role in autoimmune disease because one of its job is to control regulatory T cells.
I feel like it's a very, like, who watches the watchmen kind of situation.
Their job is to make sure that your immune system isn't, isn't going to attack your own body.
But today, we're gonna focus on the other part of Cecilia's message, which is about endometriosis and blood tests to detect it.
Endometriosis isn't an autoimmune condition, but it does involve the immune system.
It's a chronic condition where tissues that are similar to the lining of the uterus grow outside of the uterus.
And because the body is, like, thrown off [laughs] by that, this can cause inflammation, it can cause scar tissue to form, and it can be really painful.
I think, like, one of the classic ways that I've heard, I guess, of people realizing that they might have endometriosis is people who have really, really terrible, um, menstrual cramps, uh, might realize.
And then another time that I've heard, like, people kind of realizing they might have endometriosis is when it pops up in particular with, like, fertility issues.
It might become, like, one of the possible avenues people explore, um, that could be explaining these fertility issues.
Um, things like hormonal contraceptives I think are supposed to be really helpful, particularly with those painful periods.
In some cases, I think this is not as common now, I think it's come- considered maybe more of a extreme case now, um, but I did read that some people will have a hysterectomy to actually remove the uterus.
Um, but that is, like, a much more involved procedure and has a lot more that you have to deal with after as well.
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