Research has found that undetected uterine cancers were discovered in 27 per 10,000 women at the time of a minimally invasive hysterectomy using power morcellation. This raises concern that such a procedure may cause the spread of this undetected disease, considering the fact that hysterectomies under morcellation fragment the uterus into smaller pieces.

According to the American Cancer Society, most (about three out of four) cases of uterine cancer are found in women aged 55 and over.

There has been a lack of accurate estimates of the prevalence of uterine cancer malignancy, despite the fact that electric morcellators have been in use for two decades.

In a new study conducted by Jason D. Wright, MD, assistant professor of women’s health (in obstetrics and gynecology) at Columbia University Medical Center, and colleagues, a large database including more than 500 hospitals was analyzed for the incidence of these undetected uterine cancers during hysterectomies using morcellation.

The researchers identified 232,882 who underwent a hysterectomy between 2006 and 2012. Among those whose surgeries involved power morcellation, 99 cases of uterine cancer were detected at the time of the surgery. In addition, other precancerous cells and more invasive malignancies were also found.

“Although morcellators have been in use since 1993, few studies have described the prevalence of unexpected pathology at the time of hysterectomy. Prevalence information is the first step in determining the risk of spreading cancer with morcellation. . . . Patients considering morcellation should be adequately counseled about the prevalence of cancerous and precancerous conditions prior to undergoing the procedure,” said Wright in a statement.

The findings of the study are published in JAMA.