Risk factors for hyperplasia-associated versus atrophy-associated endometrial carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
Endometrial cancer can be divided into atrophy-associated and hyperplasia-associated subtypes. It has been suggested that these subtypes have different pathologic features and prognoses. This preliminary study explores whether these subtypes are associated with different risk factors.


METHODS
Hysterectomies performed in cases of endometrial carcinoma with evaluable benign endometrium on routine processing were reviewed, and clinical data were abstracted from medical records. Forty-eight subjects with atrophy-associated and 28 subjects with hyperplasia-associated cancers were studied.


RESULTS
We found younger age, higher weight, absence of cigarette smoking, and earlier menarche in subjects with hyperplasia-related cancers.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings support the idea that hyperplasia-associated endometrial cancer is estrogen-related but also suggest that atrophy-associated cases may result from a different causal pathway. Epidemiologic studies may yield more precise and accurate measures of association if atrophy-associated and hyperplasia-associated endometrial cancers are considered separately.
Westhoff
C
C
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
Heller
D
D
Drosinos
S
S
Tancer
L
L
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000209:etiology*; D000368:Aged; D001284:Atrophy / Q000473:pathology; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology*; D004717:Endometrium / Q000473:pathology; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006965:Hyperplasia / Q000473:pathology; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications; D008499:Medical Records; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects