Endometrial sampling or D and C (Dilation and Currettage)?

In diagnosis of uterine cancer, these 2 methods may be suggested by your doctor, but what is the difference and can you request your doctor to opt for the less invasive procedure?

Basically, the D and C method used to be considered as the gold standard for sampling the endometrium for endometrial cancer. However, it is now recognised as a blind sampling method because it often samples less than half the endometrium. After talking to an O&G (obstetric and gynaecology) specialist the other day, she told me that she would recommend her patients for endometrial biopsy (involving a pipelle) instead because it's less invasive and have a few more advantages:

1) There is no need for a general anesthetic.
2) Lower risks of infection, hemorrhage (loss of blood from bleeding).
3) Saves time for patient and doctor.

A check on the web also reveals news of a latest study, published in March 2007 in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology that have shown that the use of the pipelle is a very accurate endometrial sampling method.

The sensitivity of Pipelle is than 93% for low grade cancer and 99.2% for high grade cancer.

Source.

So make sure you explore this option with your doctor!