Plasma protein patterns linked to long-term pelvic pain in endometriosis from teens to adults

Identifying plasma proteomic profiles of chronic pain development in endometriosis from adolescence to adulthood

NIH-funded research Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center · NIH-11387137

This project looks for blood protein patterns that show which adolescents and young adults with endometriosis are likely to develop long-lasting pelvic pain.

Quick facts

Grant typeNIH-funded research
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionFred Hutchinson Cancer Center NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Seattle, United States)
Project IDNIH-11387137 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

You would be asked to give blood samples and information about your pain over time so researchers can measure many proteins in your plasma. They will compare people whose pain becomes chronic with those whose pain gets better to find protein patterns tied to persistent pelvic pain. The work focuses on adolescents and young adults because chronic pain often starts during these years. Finding these patterns could help spot people at risk early and guide better pain care.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Adolescents and young adults diagnosed with endometriosis who can provide blood samples and attend follow-up visits are the ideal candidates.

Not a fit: People without endometriosis or those with long-established chronic pain may not directly benefit from these early-stage biomarker findings.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this could help doctors identify people at risk for chronic pelvic pain earlier and tailor treatments to reduce long-term pain and opioid use.

How similar studies have performed: Proteomic methods have found useful biomarkers in other pain and gynecologic conditions, but using plasma proteomics to predict chronic pelvic pain in adolescents with endometriosis is largely new.

Where this research is happening

Seattle, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-14 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.