Longstanding survival without cancer progression in a patient affected by endometrial carcinoma treated primarily with leuprolide.
We report here a case of a patient affected by endometrial cancer and treated primarily with leuprolide, the surgical approach being unfeasible due to her compromised conditions. The therapy was continued for more than 6 years, and no progression of the disease was observed. During this period, some histological and immunohistochemical evaluations of the tumour (morphology, grading, proliferation and apoptotic index, E-cadherin expression) were performed. Furthermore, the expression of m-RNA for luteinizing-hormone releasing hormone (LHRH) receptors was determined. The results showed a discrepancy between some biological parameters of the tumour and its clinical characteristics. In fact, despite features suggestive of a progression of the cancer (such as the increase of both tumour grading and proliferating capacity (MIB-1), and a fall in the reparative process (appearance of mutated p53, reduced expression of both bcl-2 and c-erb-2) being detected, neither local invasion nor metastatic lesions were clinically observed. This discrepancy might be due to the maintenance of high levels of E-cadhezin. Moreover, since this tumour was shown to express mRNA for LHRH receptors, new evidence is provided about the favourable impact of LHRH analogue treatment in patients affected by endometrial cancer.
Noci
I
I
Department of Gynaecology, Perinatal Medicine and Human Reproduction, University of Florence, viale G. B. Morgagni 85, 50134, Firenze, Italy.
Borri
P
P
Bonfirraro
G
G
Chieffi
O
O
Arcangeli
A
A
Cherubini
A
A
Dabizzi
S
S
Buccoliero
A M
AM
Paglierani
M
M
Taddei
G L
GL
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D000368:Aged; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D018450:Disease Progression; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016729:Leuprolide / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D011966:Receptors, LHRH / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011966:Receptors, LHRH; D016729:Leuprolide