Endometriosis Study

watch video interview in Windows Media

Roberta Speyer: Hello, I am Roberta Speyer reporting for OBGYN.net. I am in Beijing and I am talking to Dr. Lang, who is the Director of the Gynecologic Department at Peking Union Medical College Hospital.

Dr. Jinghe Lang: Right.

Roberta Speyer: Dr. Lang, I appreciate your taking the time to talk to us. Tell us a little bit about what you are doing at your hospital and especially your work with endometriosis, in which I understand you have some very new research.

Dr. Jinghe Lang: Yes. What we know now is that endometriosis is a common disease in reproductive ages in women. It is very common in China but I think also all over the world. But the tough problem is the pathogenesis of endometriosis.

Roberta Speyer: Yes.

Dr. Jinghe Lang: But my research is the abnormal endometrium, it is very important.

Roberta Speyer: The cause?

Dr. Jinghe Lang: Yes.

Roberta Speyer: So you are looking at what is the cause? Are you finding, first off, is it true that there is a rather higher incidence of endometriosis in China than in the rest of the world’s population?

Dr. Jinghe Lang: Yes.

Roberta Speyer: What do you attribute that to or do you have a theory behind that?

Dr. Jinghe Lang: What we do know is that endometriosis is a common disease, but in China, it is about 10% to 15% in the reproductive ages in women. It is very common. Clinical preparedness can diagnose the symptoms in infertility.

Roberta Speyer: So in your recent publication, what new findings did you present?

Dr. Jinghe Lang: That there are maybe some investigations to be made in the common population.

Roberta Speyer: So do you see a future for this disease to be able to be pre-diagnosed or to be able to tell which people are more likely to suffer from it?

Dr. Jinghe Lang: Yes. But my work is to the division, it is the basic and the clinic. The basic is the focus in pathogenesis. The clinic is the guidance of diagnosis and treatment in all of China.

Roberta Speyer: Yes. So do you think there will be a time when they will be able to recognize this disease sooner and perhaps help women avoid the infertility and the problems? Is that what your efforts are working toward?

Dr. Jinghe Lang: Yes.

Roberta Speyer: Because it is a long time to diagnosis, is that not true, mostly?

Dr. Jinghe Lang: Yes. Our theory is maybe there is a delay in diagnosis of maybe six to ten years, but this is maybe longer in China.

Roberta Speyer: And does that cause more problems, the longer the diagnosis? Does that create more problems for the patient?

Dr. Jinghe Lang: Yes.

Roberta Speyer: What are the problems if it goes for too long? Infertility?

Dr .Jinghe Lang: Yes. There may be some (inaudible) in the health check and healthcare.

Roberta Speyer: So with the work that you are doing, you are trying to get people to get the diagnosis sooner?

Dr. Jinghe Lang: Yes.

Roberta Speyer: For doctors, you are teaching how to recognize the disease sooner?

Dr. Jinghe Lang: Yes.

Roberta Speyer: And are you planning any more, are you still, is this an on-going study? Are you planning to follow up with other publications about this?

Dr. Jinghe Lang: Yes. I understand the common demand for publication.

Roberta Speyer: I appreciate your taking the time to talk to us about this. You know, we will put this on the Endometriosis Zone also, where Dr. Lang is going to participate on the editorial board and join us, which is a great thing because this disease has probably been very common but very difficult to get a consensus on and the work you are doing will really help people around the world to get earlier diagnosis and avoid some of these problems.

Dr. Jinghe Lang: Yes.

Roberta Speyer: We thank you.

Dr. Jinghe Lang: Yes, thank you.