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Menopause (Expert Forum)
Menopause question
Answered by
Machelle Seibel, MD - Women's Health, menopause, ReproductiveMedicine
University of Massachusetts Medical School
MA
Questions in the Menopause forum are answered by Dr. Machelle Seibel. Topics covered include menopause issues, depression, hormone replacement therapy, hot flashes, joint or muscle problems, memory problems, mood swings, osteoporosis, sexual problems, skin changes, sleeping problems, vaginal problems, and weight problems.
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Menopause question
by kalvarez, May 21, 2007 12:00AM
I had an ultrasound done and the doctor told me that I had Endometrial Thickening. What exactly does this mean? I have read that it can turn in to cancer. Is this true and please explain. Thanks
Doctor's Answer
by Machelle Seibel, MD, May 21, 2007 12:00AM
, May 21, 2007 12:00AM
The uterine lining is called the endometrium. Each month during a woman's reproductive career the lining builds up and if there isn't a pregnancy, the lining sheds which is the woman's menstrual period. After menopause, hormone levels are low and the lining becomes thin, 4mm or less. If a woman has a uterus and is placed on estrogen, the lining will thicken and over time, maybe 10 years it can turn into cancer. That is why women who have a uterus and who take estrogen must also take progesterone. The progesterone makes the lining shed or become thin.
If you are in menopause and have a thick uterine lining, your doctor might want to check the lining with an office procedure called an endometrial biopsy. It causes mild cramping and takes only a few minutes. A thin instrument is placed into the uterus and a few cells scraped out to be viewed by a pathologist under a microscope. Sometimes a D & C is done. That involves anesthesia in the operating room and scrapes the entire lining. It is more accurate. Depending on the results, a person may need no treatment, hormonal treatment or surgery. If there is a problem and it is caught early, whatever the problem, it usually can be cured.
Machelle Seibel, MD
If you are in menopause and have a thick uterine lining, your doctor might want to check the lining with an office procedure called an endometrial biopsy. It causes mild cramping and takes only a few minutes. A thin instrument is placed into the uterus and a few cells scraped out to be viewed by a pathologist under a microscope. Sometimes a D & C is done. That involves anesthesia in the operating room and scrapes the entire lining. It is more accurate. Depending on the results, a person may need no treatment, hormonal treatment or surgery. If there is a problem and it is caught early, whatever the problem, it usually can be cured.
Machelle Seibel, MD
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