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Hello there, 

Are you or a loved one inflicted by painful periods, pelvic pain that doesn’t respond to medication, or unexplained fatigue?

For people with endometriosis, flare-ups can feel unpredictable and uncontrollable. But a wave of new research reveals that something deeper is happening inside the body: Endometriosis lesions survive and grow by creating their own blood supply — a process called angiogenesis.

And understanding this process may explain why pain persists, why lesions return after surgery, and how lifestyle factors from diet to environmental chemicals may worsen symptoms.

Endometriosis 101

Endometriosis happens when tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows in places it doesn’t belong — like the ovaries, fallopian tubes, bladder, or intestines.
These lesions behave like normal endometrium (they respond to hormones), but because they’re outside the uterus, the body can’t shed them normally.

Symptoms often include:

• painful periods

• pelvic pain that lasts beyond menstruation

• painful intercourse

• infertility

• GI symptoms (bloating, constipation, nausea)

Up to 10% of all women, and 35–50% of women with infertility or chronic pelvic pain, are affected.

The Angiogenesis Link: How Lesions Stay Alive

For endometriosis tissue to survive outside the uterus, it needs oxygen and nutrients — the same way a tumor would.

It does this by building a blood supply through angiogenesis. Endometriosis lesions release chemical signals (mainly the vascular endothelial growth factor, or VEGF) that tell the body to grow new blood vessels toward them.

Clinical research shows:

• Endometriosis lesions express higher VEGF levels than normal uterine tissue

• VEGF levels correlate with disease severity

• After lesions are surgically removed, VEGF levels drop

Consequently, a biological loop develops: the more blood vessels a lesion creates, the stronger and more persistent the lesion becomes.

What New Cancer Research Is Teaching Us About Endometriosis

A recent clinical study in advanced endometrial cancer highlights just how powerful angiogenesis targeting can be when combined with immune-based therapies.

Researchers tested a drug that blocks VEGF-driven blood vessel growth alongside an immunotherapy that reactivates the immune system. The results showed improved tumor control, in part because cutting off abnormal blood vessels made diseased tissue more vulnerable to immune attack.

Why does this matter for endometriosis?

Although endometriosis is not cancer, lesions share key biological features with tumors, including excessive VEGF signaling, abnormal blood vessel growth, and immune dysfunction. This research strengthens the idea that angiogenesis is not just a bystander, but a driver of disease persistence.

Importantly, it also suggests that future therapies for endometriosis may focus less on suppressing hormones alone and more on modulating blood vessels and inflammation together, an area of active investigation.

Environmental and Lifestyle Factors

🚬 1. Environmental toxins + endocrine disruptors

Multiple human population studies show significantly higher endometriosis risk in women with exposure to:

• pesticide residues

• PFAS (“forever chemicals”)

• flame retardants / plasticizers

These chemicals increase oxidative stress and stimulate VEGF signaling.

Action step:
Make sure you properly rinse all fruits and vegetables in cold water (no soap needed) and scrub produce with a thick rind, peel or skin with a clean brush.

🥗 2. Diet & Nutrition

Clinical trials show:

• Higher omega-3 intake reduces inflammation and endometriosis pain

• Vitamins C + E supplementation reduce oxidative stress and pelvic pain

• Diets high in trans fats and red meat increase endo risk

Action step:
Add one anti-inflammatory swap: Replace red meat → salmon, sardines, walnuts, or chia (omega-3 rich)

🍃 3. Stress & Emotional Load

Chronic stress increases oxidative stress and inflammatory cytokines — the same molecules that stimulate VEGF and angiogenesis.

Action step:
Practice the “2-minute downshift”: exhale longer than you inhale for 2 minutes before bed.

The Bottom Line

Endometriosis isn’t “just bad periods.”
It’s a biologically active inflammatory condition that builds its own blood supply to stay alive.

The more we interrupt the angiogenesis cycle,
the more control people gain over their symptoms.

Check out this weeks youtube video to see our mascot Dr. Angio bringing complex health and research topics to life.

Best wishes,
- The Angiogenesis Foundation

P.S. Like what you’re reading? Support our mission to advance research and share science-backed health insights.

Make a donation to the Angiogenesis Foundation today.

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