Early detection of endometrial cancer by combined use of vaginal ultrasound and endometrial vacuum sampling

Abstract

With increasing lifespan and decreased incidence of uterine cervical cancer, the importance of the proper and early diagnosis of endometrial cancer has become a demand to gynecology. The objective of the present study is to evaluate the effectiveness of gynecologic diagnostic tools in detection of endometrial cancer in early stage. The patients (72) involved in the study, after giving their informed consent, were investigated by transvaginal ultrasound and subsequent vacuum endometrial sampling in office settings. Whenever the histology examination of endometrial vacuum sampling showed hyperplasia or carcinoma, it was reassured by sampling with dilatation and curettage. The analysis of sonography and histology results showed that in 4 cases (5.6%) endometrial hyperplasia and in two cases (2.8%) endometrial adenocarcinoma were present. Also analyzed were sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values for histology results and for sonographic findings. These results show that transvaginal ultrasound is a reliable method for screening for endometrial carcinoma. Moreover, in the case of pathologic endometrial change suspected by ultrasound, the combination of vacuum endometrial sampling with ultrasound examination can yield firm diagnosis in office settings, saving cost and time in early diagnosis of endometrial cancer.