title: Altered PTEN expression; a diagnostic marker for differentiating normal, hyperplastic and neoplastic endometrium.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Different molecular alterations have been described in endometrioid endometrial carcinoma (EECA). Among them the most frequently altered is loss of the PTEN protein, a tumor suppressor gene. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the expression pattern of PTEN gene in normal, hyperplastic and neoplastic endometrium.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a study in a referral gynecologic hospital in Tehran, Iran, immunohistochemical (IHC) evaluation of PTEN was performed on 87 consecutive specimens to the following three groups; group A- normal proliferative endometrium(n = 29); group B- hyperplastic endometrium [including simple hyperplasia without atypia(n = 21) and complex hyperplasia with atypia (n = 8)] and group C- EECA(n = 29). Immunostaining of cells was analyzed by arbitrary quantitative methods according to both slide's area staining and intensity of color reaction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PTEN immunoreactivity was present in all normal proliferative endometrium, all simple hyperplasia, 75% of atypical complex hyperplasia and in 48% of EECA (P < 0.001). The intensity of PTEN reaction was significantly higher in group with proliferative endometrium than hyperplastic endometrium and EECA (P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PTEN expression was significantly higher in cyclical endometrium than in atypical hyperplasia and endometrioid carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Mirza Koochak Khan Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. ssarmadi@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Soheila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sarmadi
authors.forename: Narges
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Izadi-Mood
authors.forename: Kambiz
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sotoudeh
authors.forename: Seyed Mohammad
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Tavangar