How accurate are D

I went to my dr. yesterday and was told I need a D&C for prolonged bleeding. I am 54 yo and not yet in menopause. I've had this procedure before and I don't like the expense and inconvenience and risks with the anesthesia.My last one was 3 yrs ago and was normal. Should I have an ultrasound done instead of the D&C? How accurate are these D&C's anyway in diagnosing cancer or precancerous hyperplasia. Possibility of cancer is our biggest concern but this may all be just my hormones gone out of wack.

[Machelle Seibel, MD]

A. You are asking the right question about concern:  Is this just your hormones or is it cancer?  That is why doctors do a D&C; to answer that question. The scraping off of the lining does two things; it generally corrects the bleeding for a while and it tells if there is cancer or a polyp or other cause of bleeding.  The D&C is very accurate. A normal D&C 3 years ago is a very good thing but it doesn