[A hysteroscopic and anatomicopathological study in women with breast cancer].
OBJECTIVE
To study the uterine mucosa of women with breast cancer in order to evaluate the frequency of endometrial diseases.


METHODS
Prospective, controlled study carried out from January to December 1996. SURROUNDINGS: Patients with breast cancer and normal controls from 4 out-patient university services in Porto Alegre, Brazil.


METHODS
Postmenopausal women without hormonal therapy were compared: 67 of them with breast cancer and 101 normal controls.


METHODS
Hysteroscopy followed by endometrial biopsy carried out in both groups as an out-patient procedure.


RESULTS
In patients with breast cancer, 29.85% abnormal biopsies were found as follows: 10 endometrial polyps (15.0%), 8 with proliferative changes (11.9%), 1 case of cancer (1.5%), and one case of hyperplasia (1.5%). In the control group 8% abnormal morphological findings were found, as follows: 4 (4%) with endometrial polyps and 4 (4%) with proliferative changes. The differences in abnormal biopsies were statistically significant, mainly in patients with corporal mass index above 27.3. The sensibility of hysteroscopy was 82.14%; its specificity 97.16%; its predictive positive value 85.18% and its predictive negative value 96.48% in detecting endometrial activity, for a prevalence of 16.7% of endometrial activity.


CONCLUSIONS
Endometrial evaluation must be included in the initial evaluation of patients with breast cancer, mainly if they were obese. Hysteroscopy, performed in out-patient basis, showed to be an adequate method to evaluate the uterine mucosa, helping to select the area of this cavity for biopsy.
Gonçalves
M A
MA
Dipartimento di Ginecologia e Ostetricia, Facoltà di Medicina, Pontificia Università Cattolica del Rio Grande do Sul, San Paulo, Brasile.
Gonçalves
W J
WJ
Matias
M
M
Novo
N F
NF
Baracat
E C
EC
de Lima
G R
GR
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001706:Biopsy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004717:Endometrium / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015907:Hysteroscopy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000473:pathology; D017698:Postmenopause; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
Studio isteroscopico e anatomopatologico in donne con cancro della mammella.