title: Differential expression of estrogen and progesterone receptors in endometrial polyps and adjacent endometrium in postmenopausal women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the immunoexpression of estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) in gland and stromal cells of endometrial polyps in postmenopausal women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty postmenopausal patients underwent operative hysteroscopies because of benign endometrial polyps. The polyps were identified and subsequently completely removed. A section of normal-appearing endometrium adjacent to the polyp base was also obtained for the control group. The presence of ER and PR was investigated in the gland and stromal cells in the polyps and adjacent endometrium using immunohistochemistry. The slides were evaluated by semiquantitative analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Endometrium and endometrial polyps showed a significantly higher proportion of positive cells in the glands than in the stroma for both ER (p < 0.000 and p < 0.000, respectively) and PR (p = 0.002 and p = 0.002, respectively). Polyps showed a significantly higher proportion of positive cells in glands and stroma than in the endometrium, concerning ER (p < 0.000 and p = 0.001, respectively) and also for PR (p = 0.021 and p = 0.008, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggest that steroid receptors present a crucial role in the physiopathology of the endometrial polyps in postmenopausal women.
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine of Santa Casa de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors: Soraia
authors: S
authors: de Carvalho
authors: Adriana Bittencourt
authors: AB
authors: Campaner
authors: Sônia Maria Rolim Rosa
authors: SM
authors: Lima
authors: Maria Antonieta Longo Galvão
authors: MA
authors: Silva
authors: Paulo Augusto Ayroza
authors: PA
authors: Ribeiro
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D004717:Endometrium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015907:Hysteroscopy; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D011127:Polyps / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D017698:Postmenopause; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone