POST MENOPAUSAL BLEEDING
Dr Steven R. Goldstein is a leading NYC Gyn who has treated patients with abnormal uterine bleeding, heavy periods (menorrhagia), heavy bleeding for over twenty-five years in private practice on the East side of Manhattan. It is not uncommon for women to come to Dr Goldstein’s practice with medical complaints of bleeding. Some of these women are menopausal. This means they should not be experiencing any bleeding since their ovaries are no longer functioning and therefore not making any estrogen or progesterone. There is no stimulation of the endometrial lining and there should be absolutely no further bleeding. Any post menopause bleeding must be evaluated at once, and be considered “uterine cancer until proven otherwise”. Any menopause bleeding, even staining, regardless of how slight or short in duration must be evaluated. However not every case of post menopause bleeding is because of cancer. Bleeding in post-menopausal women not on hormone replacement therapy, accounts for many medical interventions. In the past, the first clue to possible endometrial cancer was bleeding. Endometrial carcinoma has a peak prevalence at 55 years of age. Thus, 75% of cases occur in postmenopausal women. The role of unopposed estrogen in the development of this disease has been known for some time. Classic risk factors include obesity, diabetes, hypertension and low parity. However, studies show that only about 3-7% of women with menopausal bleeding will actually have cancer. But in medicine, that is a relatively large number and all women