title: Endometrial cells identified in cervical cytology in women > or = 40 years of age: criteria for appropriate endometrial evaluation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  No consensus exists regarding evaluation of asymptomatic premenopausal women with benign endometrial cells (BECs) identified on cervical cytology. We determined the frequency of uterine pathology in asymptomatic women, > or = 40 years of age, positive for BECs on cervical cytology.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cervical cytopathology records from a Midwestern US teaching hospital from April 2002 through December 2005 were reviewed and cases with BECs identified. Patient age, symptomatology, and endometrial sampling results were obtained.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 194,717 records examined, 1784 (0.9%) of women > or = 40 years had BECs present and 440 had follow-up endometrial pathology. There were 4 cases of complex hyperplasia with atypia, 2 from patients < or = 50 years, 1 was asymptomatic; 4 cases of adenocarcinoma were identified, all from women > 50 years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To date, the present study is among the largest follow-up studies of women with BECs on cervical cytology. Follow-up endometrial sampling may not be indicated in asymptomatic patients < or = 50 years.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, IL.
authors.forename: Heather N
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Beal
authors.forename: Jason
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stone
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Beckmann
authors.forename: Mary E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: McAsey
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis; D000328:Adult; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000473:pathology*; D004714:Endometrial Hyperplasia / Q000175:diagnosis; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D004716:Endometritis / Q000175:diagnosis; D004717:Endometrium / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007889:Leiomyoma / Q000175:diagnosis; D011127:Polyps / Q000175:diagnosis; D017698:Postmenopause; D017697:Premenopause; D014592:Uterine Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology; D014626:Vaginal Smears