Open AccessENDOMETRIAL POLYPS AND HYPERPLASIA AS RISK FACTORS FOR ENDOMETRIAL CARCINOMA
Author(s) -
Pettersson Birgitta,
Adami HansOlov,
Lindgren Anders,
Hesselius Inge
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
acta obstetricia et gynecologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.401
H-Index - 102
eISSN - 1600-0412
pISSN - 0001-6349
DOI - 10.3109/00016348509158208
Subject(s) - medicine , endometrial polyp , endometrial cancer , odds ratio , carcinoma , endometrial hyperplasia , curettage , gynecology , menopause , atypical hyperplasia , gastroenterology , cancer , pathology , hysteroscopy
. As part of a comprehensive case‐control study, the impact of previous endometrial pathology on the risk of developing endometrial carcinoma was investigated. The study comprised 254 consecutive women with histopatholo‐gically confirmed cancer of the uterine body in a well‐defined population, and their age‐matched controls. Ninety‐eight (39%) of the patients and 81 (32%) of the controls had previously undergone endometrial curettage. More than one previous curettage was positively associated with endometrial carcinoma (odds ratio = 2.5; 95% CL = 1.4–4.5). Endometrial abnormalities in previous curettage specimens occurred significantly more often among carcinoma patients (57%) than among controls (25%) (odds ratio = 4.0; 95% CL = 2.0–8.0). Twelve patients, but no controls, had adenomatous hyperplasia and this hyperplasia antedated the cancer diagnosis by a mean of 4.6 years. Endometrial polyps were present significantly more often in patients (20%) than in controls (10%) (odds ratio = 3.4; 95% CL = 1.3–9.3). The present results suggest that both of thes; conditions are risk factors for endometrial carcinoma. Among women who had undergone endometrial curettage more than 4 years after the menopause, 19 out of 30 patients, but none out of 7 controls, showed abnormality in the curettage specimens. Postmenopausal women with endometrial abnormality should thus be regarded as being at risk of developing endometrial carcinoma.