Methods for detecting and treating endometriosis

A method of treating endometriosis in a subject comprising:

• a) obtaining an identification of the subject as in need of treatment of endometriosis, wherein the subject has been identified as having endometriosis by:
• (i) maintaining a stromal fibroblast cell (SFC), obtained from a menstrual discharge sample from the subject, under conditions permitting decidualization, quantifying a rate or extent of decidualization of the stromal fibroblast cell, and comparing the rate of decidualization to a control value of decidualization indicative of a subject without endometriosis, wherein a rate or extent of decidualization of the stromal fibroblast cell which is less than that of the control value of decidualization indicates that the subject has endometriosis;
• or
• (ii) quantitating expression of ALDH1A1 protein in a stromal fibroblast cell obtained from a menstrual discharge sample from the subject and comparing the expression quantitated to a control value of expression of the ALDH1A1 protein indicative of a subject without endometriosis, wherein an amount of expression quantitated less than the control value indicates that the subject has endometriosis;
• and
• b) treating the subject so-identified as having endometriosis by performing a laproscopic surgery or hysterectomy, or administering an amount of a progestin, a gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist or a birth control pill effective to treat endometriosis.