Bleeding after menopause: Get it checked out

Bleeding after menopause can be disconcerting, but the good news is, more than 90% of the time it’s not caused by a serious condition, according to a study in JAMA Internal Medicine. That said, the study also reinforces the idea that postmenopausal bleeding should always be checked out by your doctor to rule out endometrial cancer, a cancer of the uterine lining, says Dr. Ross Berkowitz, William H. Baker Professor of Gynecology at Harvard Medical School. This is because the study also found more than 90% of women who did have endometrial cancer had experienced postmenopausal bleeding. And screening all women who experience bleeding after menopause for endometrial cancer could potentially find as many as 90% of these cancers, which are highly curable if found early. The reassuring news on postmenopausal bleeding The analysis found that most post-menopausal bleeding is caused by a noncancerous condition, such as vaginal atrophy, uterine fibroids, or polyps. That information doesn’t really differ from what doctors have historically thought about the incidence of endometrial cancer and bleeding, says Dr. Berkowitz. But it does finally put solid data behind those figures, which was missing in the past, he says. The researchers who conducted this study were looking for clues about postmenopausal bleeding and how it relates to endometrial cancer. But here is why you really need to see your doctor Endometrial cancer, which affects 2% to 3% of American women, is the most common t...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Health Source Type: blogs