Can I Get Checked for Endometrial Cancer Before I Have Symptoms?
If you don’t have symptoms or a hereditary risk, there are no recommended screening tests for endometrial cancer. A yearly pelvic exam and any other exams and tests suggested by your doctor are good ways to check your overall reproductive health. However, they are not as helpful at finding endometrial cancer early. A Pap test does not screen for endometrial cancer.
Who May Need Screening
Your doctor may suggest screening for in any of these cases:
- Your risk for endometrial cancer is high.
- You are at high risk for hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer (HNPCC).
- You are at high risk and going through menopause.
- You have changes in your uterus that might turn into cancer. For example, a prior biopsy might have demonstrated pre-cancerous changes.
If you are at high risk, your doctor may suggest an endometrial biopsy when you go through menopause. Your doctor may also advise you to have a biopsy periodically after menopause. The American Cancer Society recommends that if you are at higher risk for HNPCC, you be screened for endometrial cancer each year starting at 35. The screening is done with an endometrial biopsy.
