title: Body mass index as a prognostic factor in endometrioid adenocarcinoma of the endometrium.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine if body mass index (BMI) influences tumor expression of HER-2/neu, estrogen and progesterone receptors (ER/PR), and survival in women with endometrial adenocarcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients diagnosed between January 1992 and December 2001 with endometrioid adenocarcinoma of the uterus were identified. Clinical and pathologic data were retrospectively collected. HER-2/neu, estrogen and progesterone receptor expression were determined by immunohistochemistry. Differences in these variables and other prognostic factors were analyzed and correlated with effect on survival.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One-hundred-sixty-five patients were included in this analysis. Lower BMI was associated with high stage (p=0.04) and HER-2/neu expression (p=0.04). Black race, high grade, high stage and lack of ER/PR expression were all associated with decreased survival. Despite having better prognostic factors, women with a BMI >25 had a lower survival than women with a BMI <25 (p=0.36). When five-year survival rates were calculated for BMI category and stratified by prognostic factors, for almost every high risk factor, survival was lower in overweight patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In patients with endometrioid adenocarcinoma, low BMI is associated with high stage and tumor expression of HER-2/neu. Despite better prognostic factors, overweight women experience poorer survival.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30310, USA.
authors.forename: E Jason
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Gates
authors.forename: Lawrence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hirschfield
authors.forename: Roland P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Matthews
authors.forename: O W Stephanie
authors.initials: OW
authors.lastname: Yap
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015992:Body Mass Index; D018269:Carcinoma, Endometrioid / Q000235:genetics / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases