title: Does high-grade endometrioid carcinoma (grade 3 FIGO) belong to type I or type II endometrial cancer? A clinical-pathological and immunohistochemical study.
abstract: This study was aimed at determining whether high-grade endometrioid carcinomas (grade 3 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics) might overlap, at least partially, non-endometrioid carcinomas (type II). To this end, a panel of clinical-pathological and immunohistochemical parameters was evaluated in three different populations: low-grade endometrioid carcinomas (LGECs; n = 57), high-grade endometrioid carcinomas (HGECs; n = 26), and non-endometrioid carcinomas (NECs; n = 30). Besides morphological appearance, HGECs appeared similar to LGECs in p53 immunostaining profile; features different from LGECs included a higher local aggressiveness, a higher invasion of lymph-vascular spaces, a lower expression of ERalpha and PR, and a higher proliferative index. HGECs were similar to NECs for local aggressiveness, invasion rate of lymph-vascular spaces, lymph node metastasis incidence, and proliferative index. HGECs, however, showed a lower rate of extra-nodal metastases, a lower incidence of p53 overexpression, and a higher positivity for ERalpha and PR. In conclusion, results from this study show that HGECs exhibit overlapping morphological and immunohistochemical features of both type I and type II endometrial carcinomas. Further research is needed to clarify the clinical value of this observation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine Agostino Gemelli, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Largo F. Vito 1, 00168, Rome, Italy. gfzannoni@rm.unicatt.it
authors.forename: Gian Franco
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Zannoni
authors.forename: Valerio Gaetano
authors.initials: VG
authors.lastname: Vellone
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Arena
authors.forename: Maria Grazia
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Prisco
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Scambia
authors.forename: Arnaldo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carbone
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gallo
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D018269:Carcinoma, Endometrioid / Q000145:classification* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000145:classification* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000096:biosynthesis; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000096:biosynthesis; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53