New Evidence Emerges On Endo And The Environmental Connection

Thanks to the untiring efforts of Mary Lou Ballweg, founder of the Endometriosis Association, convincing evidence on the link between radiation exposure, and organochlorine exposure, and the development of endometriosis have been recently brought to light.

In the mid 1960's, NASA began a long-term study on monkeys to find out the effects of ionizing radiation on them. Endometriosis developed in 53 percent of the monkeys after radiation exposure; and in only 26 percent of the monkeys not exposed to radiation. This is a highly significant result.

Researchers Dr. John Fanton and Dr. John G. Golden from the Veterinary Science Division at Brooks Air Force base in Texas, conclude their study by saying:

"Endometriosis in our monkey colony was conclusively linked to whole body penetrating energies of ionizing radiation. Women receiving whole body or, in particular, abdominal exposure, to penetrating doses of X-rays should possibly be considered to be at higher risk of developing endometriosis than unexposed women (Radiation Research, #126/p141-6/91)."

Meanwhile, the Canadian government had begun a monkey study to determine the effects of adding PCB's and a poison produced by a fungus, to food. Results of the study were reported in 1985. Ballweg reported that the study showed that both substances caused the monkeys to develop endometriosis, which came as quite a surprise to the researchers. Dr. James Campbell, one of the researchers, told Ballweg that the PCB part of the study was significant statistically in the severity of the endometriosis, but not in the number that developed endometriosis beyond that seen naturally.

Through discussions with Dr. Campbell, Ballweg tracked down another similar study. Since 1977, the Environmental Protection Agency funded a long-term study on the effects of adding dioxin to the food of a monkey colony. Researchers noted immune dysfunction in exposed animals as well as difficulty in reproduction. In 1992, the funding for the project had become exhausted, and the animals were to be sold when the Endometriosis Association stepped in and bought the remaining animals. The Association then asked renowned endometriosis experts, Dr. Dan Martin and Dr. Paul Dmowski, to carry out laparoscopic and immunological studies on the animals. When the codes were broken, the landmark and as yet unpublished results became apparent. The results were published in the Journal of Fundamental and Applied Toxicology in Nov/93.

Seventy nine percent of the animals exposed to dioxin in the study developed endometriosis compared to 33 percent in the control group. Most importantly the disease was dose dependant, that is it increased in severity in direct proportion to the amount of dioxin exposure. Immune studies completed so far also indicate depressed immune function in the monkeys exposed to dioxin.

Dr. Paul Wooley is looking at blood from these exposed monkeys to see if there is any evidence of the body producing antibodies against itself as in lupus.

Meanwhile, The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences is carrying out a study to determine the blood levels of dioxin, furan and PCB's in women with endometriosis. PCB's have been linked to endometriosis and thyroiditis in a German study published in 1992. The Environmental Protection Agency is carrying on a study to determine the effects of dioxin in rats who have had endometriosis surgically implanted in their bodies.

Ballweg speculates that based on above studies, "The disease of endometriosis might have been a mild, mostly tolerable disease in the past (except presumably for a few unlucky souls) that has become severe and distinctly intolerable with the additional effects of modern pollutants in our bodies. These studies may help explain why there seems to be an "epidemic" of endometriosis world wide in this century."