Table 1 Patients' characteristics according to diagnosis at time of surgery

Premenopausal, controls (proliferative & secretory)

27

37

8.6

fibroids (n = 7), non endometriotic ovarian cyst (n = 2), infertility (n = 5), dysmenorrhoe (n = 11), pelvic pain (n = 1), uterine prolapse (n = 1)

Premenopausal, non-endometriotic, menstrual

8

39

10.7

no surgery

Premenopausal, endometriotic

20

34

6.8

endometriosis (n = 11), ovarian cyst (n = 2), infertility (n = 1), dysmenorrhoe (n = 6*)

Postmenopausal, controls

8

68

10.2

fibroids (n = 6), uterine prolapse (n = 2)

Postmenopausal, hyperplasia

10

64

13

abnormal endometrial thickness, supposed carcinoma

Postmenopausal, endometrial carcinoma

16

67

12.8

abnormal endometrial thickness, endometrial carcinoma