Angiogenesis and inflammatory response in endometriosis

Visual inspection of the pelvis at laparoscopy is required to establish the diagnosis of endometriosis in women presenting with infertility. There is still insufficient evidence available to determine if there is a biochemical marker which sensitivity and specifity could be used in non-invasive diagnosis of endometriosis. The search for a marker of disease has included numerous of enzymes, cytokines, tumor necrosis and endothelial growth factors, chemokines, autoantibodies, cytokeratins and hormones with their receptors. Angiogenesis and inflammatory response are the main pathways indicated in pathogenesis and development of this disease. In this article we focused on the latest data from studies on angiogenic and inflammatory factors in endometriosis. We refered to the latest guidelines of ESHRE (European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology, 2005).