Ultrasonographic observation of endometrial polyps induced by anti-estrogen endocrine therapy in patients with breast cancer

Purpose: To investigate the ultrasonic characteristics of endometrial polyps in breast cancer patients after anti-estrogen endocrine therapy. Methods: A total of 91 patients with endometrial polyps who had breast cancer surgery at Yantai Muping District Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Yantai, China between February 2021 and August 2023 were randomly assigned to study (n = 42) and control groups (n = 49) based on post-surgery anti-estrogen endocrine therapy. The study group received tamoxifen (20 mg orally once daily for 6 months). Control group did not receive any post-surgery anti-estrogen endocrine therapy. Ultrasound characteristics of the study and control groups were assessed and compared. Results: The study group exhibited significantly increased endometrial thickness compared to control group (p < 0.05). However, both maximum and mean polyp diameters were significantly larger in the study group (p < 0.05). Linear endometrial echoes predominated in treated patients, contrasting with predominantly uniform echoes in the control group. Visualization issues of the uterine cavity line were significantly more common in the study group, while control group experienced more deviation and unclear visualization. Also, the study group mostly presented with strip-shaped polyps, differing from the round or oval shapes prevalent in control group. Furthermore, there were significant variations in internal echo characteristics and blood flow parameters between the two groups (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Endometrial polyps caused by postoperative anti-estrogen endocrine therapy in patients with breast cancer have unique ultrasonic characteristics, good ultrasonic diagnostic effect and a high detection rate as long as it is detected early and treated on time. Further analyses are needed with a larger sample size to investigate the underlying mechanism involved in developing endometrial polyps.