Has your gynaecologist suggested an endometrial biopsy for you? This test is done to either confirm or rule out endometrial cancer, commonly known as uterine cancer. If a doctor suspects uterine cancer after physical examination or reviewing the report of an imaging test such as, transvaginal ultrasound or TVS, he/she may advise further medical investigation for cancerous cells in the uterus, which is a pear-shaped organ located in the lower abdomen and carries baby during pregnancy. When it comes to advanced medical investigation, it often means endometrial biopsy.
Before we get into the discussion about the expectations from an endometrial biopsy, let us take a look at the other aspects related to the context.
Procedure
No anaesthesia is administered for an endometrial biopsy. The process takes only 10-15 minutes and done by a physician. However, the physician may ask you to take a pain relieving medicine half an hour before the exam.
You will be asked to lie on your back while your feet are resting in stirrups. The doctor will use a tool called speculum to insert into your vagina to hold it open during the test. Next, your cervix will be cleaned and your physician will use a thin, flexible tool to insert into your uterus to suction out a tissue from the endometrium of your uterus. The sample will be sent to lab where it will undergo microscopic examination and be tested for presence of abnormal cells (cancerous or pre-cancerous).
Risk and Side Effects
Endometrial biopsy is a safe procedure to detect cancer in uterus. There are no serious side effects of the test. Some women experience problems listed below:
- Light bleeding (You may have to use a sanitary pad for a few days)
- Mild cramping (The physician will prescribe pain reliving medicines. Make sure not to take over-the-counter drugs to relieve pain)
Never use tampons. You should also avoid sexual intercourse and vaginal douches for a few days. Don’t perform any laborious activity for at least, a week or fortnight after the biopsy. Follow your physician’s recommendations to a T.
If you think you have conceived, tell it to your doctor before the procedure starts. There is a risk for pregnant women as the endometrial biopsy may cause miscarriage.
Why to Undergo Endometrial Biopsy?
The physician suggests endometrial biopsy only if he/she suspects uterine cancer from physical examination and/or the review of TVS or other imaging tests. The physician may also suggest an endometrial biopsy if you have any of the following symptoms:
- Long or heavy bleeding
- Irregular periods
- No periods even though you haven’t attained the age of menopause
- A thickened uterine lining
- Bleeding after menopause
- Bleeding after taking tamoxifen, a breast cancer drug
Keep in mind that an endometrial biopsy is only for detection of cancerous cells. It is not meant to fix any of the above-stated problems. You may visit a cancer special hospital in Kolkata for the biopsy test. Remember uterine cancer is highly treatable. The 5-year survival rate is 95% if uterine cancer is detected in the 1st stage.