[Value of the early detection of endometrial cancer by intra-uterine cell sampling with the Mi-Mark spiral].

This report describes the results of a feasibility study of detection endometrial carcinoma in a population of 256 women, age 45 and above (221 patients with abnormal bleeding, 35 asymptomatic women). All of the asymptomatic women had a negative endometrial cytology. The microscopic examination of the curettings of patients with abnormal bleeding was correlated to the endometrial cytology. 13 adenocarcinomas, 2 sarcomas, but only 3 of 8 adenomatous hyperplasias, 2 of 4 circumscribed adenocarcinomas and none of 2 high differentiated adenoakanthomas were predicted by the cytological examination. The endouterine cell sampling is only effective in exophytic or broad endophytic growing adenocarcinomas. For precancerous conditions or early cancerous changes is the endouterine cell sampling not quite accurate. The routine use of endometrial cytology from the uterine cavity area is apparently not justified for early detection of endometrial carcinomas.