Spontaneous regression of stage IV clear cell carcinoma of the endometrium in a patient with essential thrombocytosis.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to document a case of advanced stage clear cell carcinoma of the endometrium which underwent spontaneous regression (SR) and comment on the possible contribution of the patient's thrombocytosis.


METHODS
A 73-year-old woman with essential thrombocytosis presented with vaginal bleeding. Imaging demonstrated a complex uterine mass, a 4-cm infrarenal mass, and a 5-cm subumbilical mass. Biopsy of the subumbilical mass revealed adenocarcinoma, and endometrial curettage revealed extensively necrotic clear cell endometrial carcinoma. At hysterectomy 5 weeks later, the infrarenal and subumbilical masses were not identified. The endometrial tumor was almost completely necrotic. She received no adjuvant therapy and remains disease-free 6 years later. Interestingly, her platelet-lowering agent (hydroxyurea) was discontinued shortly before, and her platelet count was significantly elevated at the time of her presentation with endometrial carcinoma.


CONCLUSIONS
This report documents a rare case of SR of advanced endometrial carcinoma, and we speculate that increased circulating platelets were a major contributing factor.
Parker
R
R
Department of Pathology, Vancouver Hospital and British Columbia Cancer Agency, Vancouver, British Columbia, V5Z 1M9, Canada.
Lanvin
D
D
Gilks
B
B
Miller
D
D
D018262:Adenocarcinoma, Clear Cell / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D000368:Aged; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009365:Neoplasm Regression, Spontaneous; D010976:Platelet Count; D013922:Thrombocytosis / Q000097:blood*