A Validated Serum Biomarker Signature for the Non-Invasive Diagnosis of Endometriosis

Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory disorder affecting around 10% of reproductive-age women, and its diagnosis is often delayed due to the dependence on invasive laparoscopy. This study explored the potential of a serum-based biomarker panel for the non-invasive detection of endometriosis. Ninety premenopausal women (45 with surgically confirmed endometriosis and 45 controls) were enrolled, and serum levels of IL-6, TNF-α, hs-CRP, MCP-1, LIF, Glycodelin, Activin A, and CA-125 were measured using ELISA. Concentrations of all biomarkers were higher in the endometriosis group compared to controls (p < 0.001). Among them, hs-CRP, TNF-α, Glycodelin, and Activin A showed relatively high diagnostic performance (AUC values ranging from 0.93 to 1.00). Multivariate regression suggested that CA-125, IL-6, and MCP-1 may serve as independent predictors, and clustering analysis indicated possible subgroups with distinct inflammatory profiles. These findings suggest that a combination of selected serum biomarkers could support non-invasive diagnostic approaches for endometriosis, warranting further validation in larger, multicenter studies