What was done to help diagnose endometrial cancer early?
Pap smears are very effective at detecting cancer in the cervix but are not useful for detecting endometrial cancer. Therefore a screening endometrial sampling – removal of cells in the lining of the uterus for examination under a microscope – was used in the BCPT to detect abnormalities in the endometrium. Women who joined the study after October 1994 were required to have a screening endometrial sampling before entering the study if their uterus had not been removed. All women in the study were strongly urged to have screening endometrial sampling done annually throughout the study (at no cost to them), but could decline if they chose. In addition to these annual tests, women in the BCPT were told to see their physicians if they experienced abnormal vaginal bleeding or pain. The vast majority of the endometrial cancers that were diagnosed in the BCPT caused such symptoms. 16. What were the participants’ chances of getting blood clots? Women taking tamoxifen had almost three times the
