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Risk and Predictors of Malignancy in Women with Endometrial Polyps

Annals of Surgical Oncology volume 18, pages 3819–3823 (2011)Cite this article

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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Affiliations

  1. Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA

    Stephanie L. Wethington MD, Thomas J. Herzog MD, William M. Burke MD, Xuming Sun MS, Sharyn N. Lewin MD & Jason D. Wright MD

  2. Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA

    Jodi P. Lerner MD

  3. Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA

    Thomas J. Herzog MD, William M. Burke MD, Sharyn N. Lewin MD & Jason D. Wright MD

Authors
  1. Stephanie L. Wethington MD
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  2. Thomas J. Herzog MD
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  3. William M. Burke MD
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  4. Xuming Sun MS
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  5. Jodi P. Lerner MD
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  6. Sharyn N. Lewin MD
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  7. Jason D. Wright MD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jason D. Wright MD.

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Wethington, S.L., Herzog, T.J., Burke, W.M. et al. Risk and Predictors of Malignancy in Women with Endometrial Polyps. Ann Surg Oncol 18, 3819–3823 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-011-1815-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-011-1815-z

Keywords

  • Postmenopausal Woman
  • Endometrial Cancer
  • Premenopausal Woman
  • Menopausal Status
  • Endometrial Carcinoma