[Angiogenesis and endometriosis]

Endometriosis is a common gynaecological disease of unknown aetiology. Angiogenesis appears to be one of the processes involved in its pathogenesis. Angiogenic factors are increased in the peritoneal fluid of patients with endometriosis (McLaren 1996 et al; Taylor et al, 2002), in peritoneal implants (Ferriani et al, 1993) and in ovarian endometriomas. On the other hand, some researchers have found that angiogenesis is related to pelvic pain. We speculated that ovarian endometriomas in patients presenting with pelvic pain would be more angiogenic than those in asymptomatic women and that their vascular features would therefore be different.