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Published in: Annals of Surgical Oncology 13/2011

01-12-2011 | Gynecologic Oncology

Risk and Predictors of Malignancy in Women with Endometrial Polyps

Authors: Stephanie L. Wethington, MD, Thomas J. Herzog, MD, William M. Burke, MD, Xuming Sun, MS, Jodi P. Lerner, MD, Sharyn N. Lewin, MD, Jason D. Wright, MD

Published in: Annals of Surgical Oncology | Issue 13/2011

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Abstract

Background

Endometrial polyps commonly affect premenopausal and postmenopausal women and carry a small risk of cancer. Consensus guidelines to direct the management of women with endometrial polyps are lacking. We examined the risk of malignancy in symptomatic and asymptomatic women with endometrial polyps.

Methods

Institutional databases were analyzed to identify women with pathologically confirmed endometrial polyps diagnosed from 2002 to 2007. Demographic, clinical, and pathologic outcomes were reviewed. The most significant pathologic diagnosis was recorded for each subject. Endometrial hyperplasia and cancer were characterized as arising in the polyp or the adjacent endometrium. Factors associated with atypical hyperplasia and cancer were analyzed.

Results

A total of 1011 women with endometrial polyps were identified. On pathology review, 964 (95.4%) polyps were reported as benign, 13 (1.3%) as hyperplasia without atypia, 5 (0.5%) as hyperplasia with atypia, and 13 (1.3%) as endometrial cancer. The only clinical or demographic factor associated with atypical hyperplasia and cancer was menopausal status (P = .02). Among premenopausal women the risk of cancer or atypical hyperplasia was 0.9% in patients without bleeding and 1.0% in women with bleeding. In postmenopausal women cancer or atypical hyperplasia was found in 1.9% of patients without bleeding and in 3.8% of women with bleeding.

Conclusions

The risk of endometrial cancer in women with endometrial polyps is 1.3%, while cancers confined to a polyp were found in only 0.3%. The risk is greatest in postmenopausal women with vaginal bleeding.
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Metadata
Title
Risk and Predictors of Malignancy in Women with Endometrial Polyps
Authors
Stephanie L. Wethington, MD
Thomas J. Herzog, MD
William M. Burke, MD
Xuming Sun, MS
Jodi P. Lerner, MD
Sharyn N. Lewin, MD
Jason D. Wright, MD
Publication date
01-12-2011
Publisher
Springer-Verlag
Published in
Annals of Surgical Oncology / Issue 13/2011
Print ISSN: 1068-9265
Electronic ISSN: 1534-4681
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-011-1815-z

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