Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 18, 2026
12:34
Collection, Isolation, and Flow Cytometric Analysis of Human Endocervical Samples
Published on: July 6, 2014
Cervical cytology in patients with postmenopausal bleeding.
Jasleen Kaur1, Pranab Dey, Subhash Chandra Saha
1Department of Cytology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
Diagnostic Cytopathology
|November 21, 2009
Summary
Cervical cytology plays a role in diagnosing postmenopausal bleeding. While not always definitive for endometrial issues, abnormal findings like endometrial cells warrant further investigation for conditions such as hyperplasia or cancer.
Area of Science:
- Gynecologic Oncology
- Pathology
Background:
- Postmenopausal (PM) bleeding is a common gynecological concern.
- Accurate diagnosis is crucial for identifying underlying pathologies, including malignancy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the diagnostic utility of cervical cytology in identifying causes of postmenopausal bleeding.
- To correlate cervical cytology findings with histopathology in patients experiencing PM bleeding.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 135 patients with PM bleeding.
- Comparison of conventional cervical cytology results with histopathology findings.
- Identification of common causes of PM bleeding through histopathological examination.
Main Results:
- Common causes of PM bleeding with abnormal histopathology included cervical squamous cell carcinoma, endocervical polyps, endometrial adenocarcinomas, and simple hyperplasia without atypia.
- Cervical smears from endometrial adenocarcinoma cases showed varied results, including high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions and the presence of endometrial cells.
- Endometrial carcinoma and hyperplasia were predominant causes of PM bleeding attributed to endometrial pathology.
Conclusions:
- Cervical cytology can provide clues but is not always sufficient for diagnosing the cause of PM bleeding.
- The presence of endometrial cells in cervical smears from postmenopausal women necessitates thorough investigation to rule out endometrial pathology.
- Endometrial hyperplasia and carcinoma are significant contributors to PM bleeding and require prompt histopathological evaluation.
