Abstract: Endometriosis is a common benign gynecologic disease which is characterized by invasion， vascularization， recurrence and other malignant behaviors， while the exact pathogenic mechanisms of endometriosis remain unsolved. Apoptosis is recognized as a programmed cell death controlled by specific genes. It plays an important role in maintaining tissue homeostasis and eliminating excess or dysfunctional cells， which also involves in the development of various cancers. Recently， reduction in apoptosis has been observed in both eutopic and ectopic endometrium of women with endometriosis and leads to the development of endometriosis through related pathways. It reviews the recent literatures focused on the influencing factors of apoptosis in endometriosis and expects to find a new therapy to control this possible factors.

Key words: Endometriosis, Apoptosis, Drug therapy, Apoptosis regulatory proteins