Is postmenopausal endometrial fluid collection alone a risk factor for endometrial cancer?

Objective: To determine the usefulness of single-layer, ultrasonographic measurement of endometrial fluid collection [EFC] volume to predict endometrial pathology in asymptomatic postmenopausal patients

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Methods: One hundred fifty asymptomatic postmenopausal women were analysed retrospectively from January 2012 to December 2016. After patients with endometrial hyperplasia/neoplasia were included in Group-I, and those with insufficient tissue, endometrial atrophy, or endometritis were included in Group-II; Groups one and two were compared with respect to primary [correlations between endometrial thickness and EFC volume] and secondary [correlations between demographic characteristics and EFC volume] outcomes

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Results: There was no correlation between EFC volume and single-layer endometrial thickness [P = 0.36]. Likewise, demographic characteristics were not related to EFC [P > 0.05]. However, both EFC volume and single-layer endometrial thickness were thicker in Group-I compared to Group-II [4.8 +/- 1.9 mm vs. 3.7 +/- 2.5 mm; and 5.7 +/- 9.4 mm vs. 2.7 +/- 2.5 mm, respectively] [P values were < 0.05]

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Conclusion: Although a cutoff value for endometrial thickness and EFC volume could not be recommended based on our study findings, it should be noted that 2% is a clinically significant rate of malignancy. Thus, postmenopausal patients with EFC should be evaluated for endometrial sampling