The Connection Between PCOS and Endometrial Hyperplasia
At 18 years old, Geraldine was already diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome, or what people commonly know as PCOS. Since then, she has been going through some treatments like hormonal pills and contraceptive pills to normalize her menstruation. However, she felt indifferent going about it over time as she was experiencing a heavy flow for 21 days every other month. There were also some months when this menstrual flow went beyond 30 days. This pushed her to see an obstetrician.
Through a transvaginal ultrasound, her doctor found out that she had a thick endometrium lining that causes the heavy flow. But her doctor also though the long duration of the flow was odd, so she decided to recommend a D&C procedure. After the procedure revealed the presence of polyps, they followed through with a biopsy. From there, they found out that Geraldine had endometrial hyperplasia with atypia, a type that heightens the risk of developing endometrial cancer.
According to a 2013 study, endometrial cancer is 2.7 times more likely in women who have PCOS. The endometrium’s prolonged exposure to unchallenged estrogen due to anovulation is a major contributor to this increased malignancy risk.
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