HISTOLOGIC CLASSIFICATION AND PATHOLOGICAL FINDINGS FOR ENDOMETRIAL BIOPSY SPECIMENS OBTAINED FROM 2964 PERIMENOPAUSAL AND POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN UNDERGOING SCREENING FOR CONTINUOUS HORMONES AS REPLACEMENT THERAPY (CHART-2 STUDY)

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to screen for disorders and to hi stologically classify endometrial biopsy specimens from 2964 perimenop ausal and postmenopausal women who were candidates for hormonal replac ement therapy. STUDY DESIGN: Endometrial biopsy specimens were obtaine d with a Vabra aspiration curette, processed by standard methods, and stained by hematoxylin and eosin and special methods to reveal subtle features of the endometrium. RESULTS: Of the endometrial biopsy specim ens, 68.7% were atrophic, 23.5% were proliferative, 0.5% were secretor y, 0.6% were hyperplastic, 0.07% were adenocarcinoma, and 6.6% were in sufficient for classification. Three independent senior microscopists agreed on the classification of each biopsy specimen. CONCLUSION: The number of patients is the largest ever screened for a single hormone r eplacement therapy study. The low yield of endometrial cancer indicate s that biopsies are unnecessary before hormone replacement therapy is initiated in asymptomatic women.