title: Endometrial brush cytology in the surveillance of post-menopausal patients under tamoxifen: a prospective longitudinal study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate cytological sampling of endometrium using Endobrush (Lab CCD, Paris, France) in the surveillance of tamoxifen-treated patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between February 1995 and October 1997, 687 tamoxifen-treated patients had serial ultrasound screening for endometrial pathology. In case of endometrial double layer thickness of more than 8mm, a cytological examination of endometrium was attempted followed by hysteroscopy and curettage.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred and eighty-nine patients had abnormal endometrial ultrasound findings. Cytological smear was not obtained in 39 patients because of cervical stenosis or pain in 33 and 6 cases, respectively. One hundred and fifty patients had cytological endometrial sampling followed by hysteroscopy and curettage. Cytological and histological findings correlated well in 145 cases (141 benign lesions and 4 endometrial cancers). There were five false positive (four atypia and one cancer). All patients remained free of endometrial cancer at 5 years follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In tamoxifen-treated patients, endometrial cytology was reliable for detection of endometrial pathology, and was well accepted by the patients.
authors.affiliation: Service de Gynécologie-obstétrique, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, 1 place de l'Hôpital, 67091 Strasbourg Cedex, France. Mathelin@igbmc.u-strasbg.fr
authors.forename: Carole
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mathelin
authors.forename: Cherif
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Youssef
authors.forename: Kadour
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Annane
authors.forename: Jean-Philippe
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Brettes
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Bellocq
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Walter
mesh_terms: D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001706:Biopsy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D003581:Cytodiagnosis / Q000379:methods*; D003584:Cytological Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D004717:Endometrium / Q000166:cytology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000187:drug effects*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D013629:Tamoxifen