I have recently been diagnosed with pcos and due to start metformin my consultant said if I had heavy periods he would want a biopsy of my womb but said I should t need one I do have very heavy periods but only one or two a year he seemed to think this was ok I m not due back for 6 months but am due a Pap smear would that pick up endometrial cancer if I had it ?
Hi, Thanks for writing in. The pap smear is a test by which cells from the lips of the uterus are smeared on to a glass slide and examined under a microscope. This uses a special stain called pampanicolaou stain and shows the presence of any abnormal cells in the cervix portion of uterus. The endometrium is the inner lining of the uterus and is examined by a biopsy for endometrial cancer. The pap smear will not look for cancer in endometrium. However, your doctor is right and if you are persistently having heavy periods only then the endometrial biopsy is required. Please have a detailed discussion with your doctor. Please do not worry.