A Uterine Polyp Found After Menopause: How Often Is It Cancer, and Should It Come Out?

An endometrial polyp is a growth in the lining of the uterus. After menopause, they’re often found during an ultrasound for bleeding, or sometimes by chance. The key question is how likely a polyp is to be precancer or cancer.

What a review of 17 studies found

Researchers pooled observational studies of women who had polyps removed.¹

Group	Precancer or cancer in the polyp
Before menopause	1.7%
After menopause	5.4%
After menopause with bleeding	4.5%
After menopause without bleeding	1.5%

¹

Both being past menopause and having bleeding were linked to a higher risk.¹ These were observational studies of polyps that were removed, so they can’t predict the risk for any one person.¹

What this means for a remove-or-watch decision

• Bleeding after menopause plus a polyp carries the highest risk in these data.¹ Our guide to bleeding after menopause explains the workup.
• No bleeding means a lower risk, but not zero. Ask how size, number, your risk factors and your preferences affect the choice.
• Removal is often done by hysteroscopy. See hysteroscopy comfort questions and after polyp removal.
• If you choose to watch, agree on what would prompt removal, such as any bleeding.

Our articles on saline ultrasound vs. biopsy and endometrial hyperplasia results cover related findings.

Questions to ask

1. How big is the polyp, and is there more than one?
2. Do my risk factors change the recommendation? For example, tamoxifen use: see tamoxifen and bleeding.
3. What happens if we watch it, and when would we recheck?

Try: “My ultrasound found a small polyp, but I haven’t had any bleeding. What’s my risk, and what are the pros and cons of removing it now versus watching?”

Down There, Decoded includes a Down-There Log and a See script for appointments. Use them to record any spotting, its date and amount, and your scan results. Explore the intimate-health playbook.