title: Spectrum of Histopathological Findings in Postmenopausal Bleeding.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the frequencies of histopathological findings in endometrial and endocervical biopsy samples with clinical history of Postmenopausal Bleeding (PMB).
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Section of Histopathology, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, from February 2012 to January 2013.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 157 consecutive endometrial and endocervical biopsy specimens with history of postmenopausal bleeding were included. After microscopic examination, frequencies of histological findings in different age groups were generated. Chi-square and independent sample t-tests were applied to see whether the difference was significant which was set at p < 0.05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred and twenty-one (77.1%) specimens showed benign pathologies while 36 (22.9%) were malignant. Endometrial polyp was seen in 67 (42.7%) cases followed by endometrial carcinomas in 25 (15.9%), endometrial hyperplasia in 21 (13.4%), cervical carcinoma in 12 (7.6%) and cervical polyps in 9 (5.7%) cases. A highly significant increase in the percentage of malignant and pre-malignant lesions was seen with increasing age group (p < 0.001). Mean age of patients with type-2 endometrial carcinoma was higher than type-1 endometrial carcinoma but statistical significance was not observed (70.2 ±6.5 vs. 61.8 ±9.1 years respectively, p=0.069).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although benign pathologies were more common in postmenopausal bleeding but the collective proportion of endometrial and cervical malignancies and pre-malignant conditions was quite high. Therefore, PMB should be urgently evaluated for cause and early commencement of treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Microbiology, The Aga Khan University, Karachi.
authors.forename: Muhammad Usman
authors.initials: MU
authors.lastname: Tariq
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Microbiology, The Aga Khan University, Karachi.
authors.forename: Romana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Idrees
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Microbiology, The Aga Khan University, Karachi.
authors.forename: Ahmed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Raheem
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Microbiology, The Aga Khan University, Karachi.
authors.forename: Naila
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kayani
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000150:complications*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D004717:Endometrium / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D011127:Polyps / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D017698:Postmenopause; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D014592:Uterine Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*