Endometrial metaplasia associated with endometrial carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
To clarify the relationship of metaplasia to endometrial carcinoma.


METHODS
Between 1984-1990, 73 cases of stage I-II endometrial carcinoma treated initially by hysterectomy were reviewed histologically. The metaplasias were classified as squamous, syncytial papillary, ciliated-cell, eosinophilic, mucinous, clear-cell, or hobnail. We assessed the histologic type and grade of the carcinoma, depth of myometrial invasion, presence or absence of lymph-vascular space invasion, and presence or absence of lymph node metastases.


RESULTS
Forty of 73 patients (55%) had one or more areas of metaplasia in the endometrium adjacent to the carcinoma. Ciliated-cell metaplasia (28 of 73; 38%) was the most common type encountered. Women with both endometrial carcinoma and metaplasia were significantly younger than those with carcinoma without metaplasia (P < .05). Compared with carcinomas without metaplasia, those with metaplasia were well differentiated (P < .01) and lacked myometrial invasion (P < .01) and pelvic lymph node metastases (P < .05). The presence of metaplasia was also significantly correlated with the presence of endometrial hyperplasia (P < .01).


CONCLUSIONS
In endometrial carcinomas, the presence of endometrial metaplasia suggests a favorable prognosis.
Kaku
T
T
Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Faculty of Medicine, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
Tsukamoto
N
N
Tsuruchi
N
N
Sugihara
K
K
Kamura
T
T
Nakano
H
H
D000328:Adult; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D004717:Endometrium / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008679:Metaplasia / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D011379:Prognosis