New Non-Invasive Endometriosis Tests: What Patients Need to Know
The EndoSure® saliva test is an exciting advancement that may help shorten the time to endometriosis diagnosis, but it is a screening tool, not a definitive diagnosis. In this video, PRM endometriosis excision specialists Dr. Reza Askari and Dr. Faraj Touchan explain what the test can and can't tell you, why expert evaluation remains essential, and what patients should do after receiving a positive or negative result.
Dr. Reza Askari and Dr. Faraj Touchan explain what the EndoSure® saliva test can, and can't, tell you about endometriosis, and why expert evaluation is still essential.
Recent news about new non-invasive endometriosis screening tests becoming available through the NHS in England and Wales has generated excitement around the world. These technologies include both saliva-based and gut-based screening tests designed to help identify people who may be more likely to have endometriosis.
For millions of women who wait an average of 7–10 years for an endometriosis diagnosis, any advancement toward earlier recognition is welcome.
But while these new tests are promising, it’s important to understand exactly what they can, and cannot, do.
According to PRM gynecologic surgeons and endometriosis excision specialists Dr. Reza Askari and Dr. Faraj Touchan, these tests should be viewed as one piece of a much larger diagnostic process.
These new tests are designed to act as non-invasive screening tools. While they use different technologies, including saliva-based biomarkers and gut electrical activity, their shared goal is to help identify patients who may be more likely to have endometriosis without immediately requiring surgery. These new tests are designed to act as non-invasive screening tools. While they use different technologies, including saliva-based biomarkers and gut electrical activity, their shared goal is to help identify patients who may be more likely to have endometriosis without immediately requiring surgery.
Rather than requiring surgery simply to raise suspicion for endometriosis, the tests may help identify individuals who are more likely to have the disease based on specific biomarkers found in saliva.
This has the potential to:
As Dr. Askari explains:
“The biggest advantage is that these tests may help shorten the time to diagnosis.”
Earlier diagnosis has the potential to improve quality of life by helping patients begin appropriate evaluation and treatment sooner.
One of the most important messages from Dr. Askari and Dr. Touchan is that these tests are screening tools, not definitive answers.
Dr. Askari compares them to a smoke detector.
A smoke detector can tell you something may be wrong.
It cannot tell you:
Similarly, these screening tests cannot fully evaluate endometriosis.
Even if the screening test is positive, it cannot determine:
These questions still require comprehensive evaluation by an experienced endometriosis specialist.
Endometriosis affects every patient differently.
Two people with similar symptoms may have very different disease patterns.
That’s why diagnosis isn’t based on a single test.
A specialist considers:
Only after evaluating the full clinical picture can an individualized treatment plan be developed.
Dr. Touchan also cautions against headlines describing these tests as a “breakthrough.”
While exciting, that language may unintentionally create false reassurance.
For example:
A patient with severe pelvic pain receives a negative screening test.
She may think:
“I guess it isn’t endometriosis.”
As a result, she delays seeing a specialist, even though her symptoms strongly suggest the disease.
No screening test is perfect.
A negative result should never outweigh:
If your symptoms continue, further evaluation is still important.
Receiving a positive screening result should not automatically lead to treatment.
Instead, it should prompt referral to an experienced physician who specializes in endometriosis.
A specialist can:
As Dr. Askari explains:
“Diagnosis is just the starting line.”
Another important limitation is fertility.
These tests cannot determine:
Fertility decisions depend on many factors, including:
Every patient’s fertility journey is unique and requires personalized evaluation.
Despite their limitations, non-invasive screening tools represent meaningful progress.
For decades, many patients have experienced:
Earlier screening may help connect patients with experienced specialists sooner, potentially reducing years of unnecessary suffering.
At PRM, diagnosis is only one part of the journey.
Through our multidisciplinary Centers of Excellence, patients receive coordinated care that may include:
Because endometriosis affects more than reproductive organs alone, treatment should address the full impact of the disease, not simply confirm its presence.
The EndoSure® saliva test is a non-invasive screening tool designed to help identify patients who may be more likely to have endometriosis. It is intended to support earlier diagnosis but does not replace evaluation by an experienced endometriosis specialist.
No. The EndoSure® test is a screening tool. While it may indicate a higher likelihood of endometriosis, it cannot confirm the diagnosis or determine the extent of the disease.
The test cannot determine where endometriosis is located, whether it involves the bowel, bladder, ureters, diaphragm, or pelvic nerves, how severe the disease is, or what treatment plan is best for your individual needs.
Yes. A negative screening result does not rule out endometriosis. If you continue experiencing symptoms such as severe period pain, chronic pelvic pain, painful intercourse, bowel or bladder symptoms, or infertility, you should still seek evaluation from an experienced endometriosis specialist.
A positive result should be the beginning of your diagnostic journey—not the end. The next step is a comprehensive evaluation with an experienced endometriosis specialist who can review your symptoms, perform an examination, evaluate imaging if appropriate, and discuss personalized treatment options.
