Detection of endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia (EIN) in postmenopausal endometrium.
OBJECTIVE
To detect the presence of endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia (EIN) in the endometrium of postmenopausal patients.


METHODS
Sixty-three postmenopausal patients with endometrial polyps (n=48), hyperplasia (n=12) and endometrioid carcinoma (n=3) were enrolled for this study. The diagnosis of EIN was made by using morphological criteria and immunohistochemical methods for detection of PTEN and bcl-2.


RESULTS
EIN lesions were found in cases of endometrial polyp (n=1), atrophic endometrium (n=1) and in hyperplasia (n=1). The glands were packed, showed cytological atypia and were negative for both PTEN and bcl-2. Three patients with endometrial hyperplasia had isolated PTEN-negative glands but they were still bcl-2 positive.


CONCLUSIONS
The use of immunohistochemical methods helps detect the presence of EIN in the postmenopausal endometrium but does not substitute the morphological criteria for this diagnosis.
Maia
Hugo
H
Endoscopy Unit, CEPARH, Rua Caetano Moura, 35 Salvador, 40210-341 Bahia, Brazil. ceparh@uol.com.br
Maltez
Amélia
A
Athayde
Célia
C
Coelho
Genevieve
G
Coutinho
Elsimar
E
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002278:Carcinoma in Situ / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D004714:Endometrial Hyperplasia; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D019254:Genes, bcl-2; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D051059:PTEN Phosphohydrolase; D010744:Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases / Q000302:isolation & purification; D017698:Postmenopause; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification
D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; D010744:Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases; D051059:PTEN Phosphohydrolase; C494929:PTEN protein, human