The investigators hypothesize that endometrial thickness will be a significant predictor of endometrial hyperplasia in a postmenopausal female population with metabolic syndrome: diabetes and/or insulin resistance, hypertension, and obesity.
The objective is to identify the utility of ultrasound as a screening test for endometrial hyperplasia and cancer in an "at risk" cohort. Endometrial carcinoma is an understudied cancer. This study will provide benefit regardless of its outcome, because it will be the first prospectively designed screening trial in an asymptomatic population.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
DIAGNOSTIC
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
36
Transvaginal ultrasound and Endometrial Biopsy
Penn State Milton S. Hershey
Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States
Endometrial Hyperplasia
A transvaginal ultrasound of the endometrium will be performed to obtain measures of the anteroposterior endometrial thickness (in the sagittal plane), the dimensions of the endometrial cavity (thickness, length and width), and the appearance of the endometrium in addition to uterine and ovarian measures. Endometrial thickness will be a significant predictor of endometrial hyperplasia in a postmenopausal female population with the metabolic syndrome: diabetes and/or insulin resistance, hypertension, and obesity.
Time frame: End of study
Endometrial Cancer
All women will then undergo an endometrial biopsy. The pipelle has been shown to be an accurate method of diagnosing endometrial cancer comparable to a full dilatation and curettage of the uterus. We believe it is important to perform a biopsy even in women with a thin endometrial stripe (\<5mm), as it will be important for determining the specificity and negative predictive value of both ultrasound and any serum screening strategy we devise.
Time frame: End of study
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