A new study conducted by scientists at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) has made significant strides in understanding the connections between endometriosis and a range of other health conditions. Using big data from patient records across six health centers within the University of California system, the researchers uncovered over 600 correlations between endometriosis and other diseases. The findings, which were published on July 31, 2025, in Cell Reports Medicine, reveal that this common yet often underdiagnosed condition frequently occurs alongside a variety of other disorders, including some unexpected ones like cancer and asthma.
Endometriosis is a chronic condition affecting about 10% of women globally, often leading to debilitating symptoms such as chronic pelvic pain, painful menstruation, and infertility. The research sheds new light on the disease’s complexity and suggests that understanding these links could help improve both diagnosis and treatment strategies for endometriosis.
Uncovering unexpected correlations through data
Endometriosis develops when tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus. This ectopic tissue leads to inflammation, pain, and scarring, and may cause complications with fertility. Traditionally, the gold standard for diagnosing endometriosis is surgery, which can confirm the presence of this ectopic tissue. Treatment options typically include hormone therapy to manage symptoms or surgery to remove excess tissue. However, not all women respond well to these treatments, and some may continue to experience symptoms even after surgery or hysterectomy.
The UCSF researchers set out to explore how endometriosis might relate to other diseases using the vast amount of patient data available in the UC health system. The researchers, led by Dr. Marina Sirota, PhD, interim director of the UCSF Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute (BCHSI), used computational methods to analyze electronic health records (EHRs) from UC health centers, focusing on correlations between endometriosis and other medical conditions.
They discovered that, in addition to commonly recognized associations like infertility, autoimmune diseases, and gastrointestinal disorders, endometriosis was also linked to other, more unexpected conditions, such as certain types of cancer, asthma, and eye diseases. The findings indicate that the effects of endometriosis may extend beyond the reproductive system and could impact multiple areas of health.
Analyzing data at scale
The research team employed advanced computational algorithms to sift through the health records and identify these correlations. Lead author Umair Khan, a bioinformatics graduate student in Dr. Sirota’s lab, played a key role in analyzing the data. He compared patients diagnosed with endometriosis to those without it, categorizing them based on shared health histories and searching for recurring patterns in the data.
Through this approach, the team identified hundreds of correlations that had not been fully explored in previous studies. Some of these associations were known or suspected, like infertility, autoimmune disorders, and acid reflux. However, others were more surprising, such as links to asthma, various cancers, and even eye-related diseases. These findings offer a broader view of how endometriosis may affect women’s overall health.
For instance, the study revealed that some patients with endometriosis also experienced migraines, supporting earlier research that suggested that migraine medications could potentially be used as a treatment for the chronic pain associated with endometriosis. This data-driven insight could open doors for new treatment options that are more targeted to specific symptoms or comorbidities of the disease.
Endometriosis as a multisystem disorder
This study also contributes to the growing understanding of endometriosis as a multisystem disorder. The disease, once thought to mainly affect the reproductive system, is now recognized as a condition that may influence other bodily systems, potentially explaining why some patients experience symptoms beyond the typical pelvic pain.
Dr. Linda Giudice, MD, PhD, MSc, a physician-scientist at UCSF and co-author of the study, emphasized the profound impact that endometriosis has on women’s lives. She described the condition as debilitating, with effects that extend to patients’ ability to maintain relationships, hold jobs, have families, and preserve psychological wellbeing. The findings from this study reinforce the importance of considering the broader health implications of endometriosis, beyond just its reproductive aspects.
The researchers believe that these insights could ultimately lead to faster and more accurate diagnosis of endometriosis. In particular, the use of large-scale patient data could provide a more comprehensive picture of how the disease presents across different individuals, improving physicians’ ability to identify it earlier. Moreover, understanding the complex relationships between endometriosis and other health conditions could allow for more personalized treatment options tailored to each patient’s unique health profile.
The role of electronic health records in advancing research
The study also highlights the growing potential of electronic health records (EHRs) in advancing medical research. The large-scale analysis of EHR data has only become feasible in recent years, with patient data being de-identified and made available for research purposes. As Dr. Tomiko Oskotsky, MD, a co-author of the study, pointed out, just over a decade ago, the availability of such data on this scale was unimaginable. Today, it is a powerful tool for uncovering patterns that might otherwise go unnoticed.
By integrating data from multiple UC health centers, the researchers were able to ensure the robustness and generalizability of their findings. The fact that these associations held true across different hospitals and patient populations further strengthens the validity of the results.
The research team is optimistic that this approach could revolutionize how endometriosis is diagnosed and treated, as well as how other complex diseases are understood. By utilizing big data, the medical community can gain deeper insights into the intricate ways diseases affect the body, leading to better outcomes for patients.
Reference: Khan U, Oskotsky TT, Yilmaz BD, et al. Comorbidity analysis and clustering of endometriosis patients using electronic health records. Cell Rep Med. 2025. doi: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2025.102245
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