title: Stromal p16 expression differentiates endometrial polyp from endometrial hyperplasia.
abstract: Endometrial polyps are very common benign endometrial lesions, but their pathogenesis is poorly understood, except for a few studies indicating the possibility of benign stromal neoplasm. Although the histopathological diagnosis of endometrial polyp on a surgical specimen is straightforward, it is often difficult to differentiate endometrial polyp from endometrial hyperplasia on a biopsy or curettage specimen. Presently, there is no immunohistochemical marker helpful in this differential diagnosis. In this study, we examined p16 expression in 35 endometrial polyps and 33 cases of endometrial hyperplasia that included 16 simple hyperplasias, 14 complex atypical hyperplasias, and 3 complex hyperplasias without atypia. Stromal p16 expression differed significantly between the two groups; it was seen in 31 (89 %) endometrial polyps, but in only 1 (3 %) endometrial hyperplasia. The percentage of p16-positive stromal cells ranged from 10 to 90 % (mean, 47 %) and the positive cells tended to be distributed around glands. Six cases of endometrial hyperplasia within an endometrial polyp were also examined and all cases showed stromal p16 expression. There was no difference in glandular p16 expression between endometrial polyps 33 (94 %) and hyperplasia 27 (82 %). The p16-immunoreactivity was mostly confined to metaplastic epithelial cells in both groups. Stromal p16 expression might be a peculiar characteristic of endometrial polyp and constitute a useful marker for the diagnosis, especially in fragmented specimens from biopsy or curettage. Stromal p16 expression might be a reflection of p16-induced cellular senescence, which has been documented in several benign mesenchymal neoplasms.
authors: Department of Advanced Diagnosis, Division of Pathology, Nagoya Medical Center, 4-1-1, Sannomaru, Naka-ku, Nagoya, Aichi, 460-0001, Japan. MoritaniS@aol.com
authors: Suzuko
authors: S
authors: Moritani
authors: Shu
authors: S
authors: Ichihara
authors: Masaki
authors: M
authors: Hasegawa
authors: Akari
authors: A
authors: Iwakoshi
authors: Sakae
authors: S
authors: Murakami
authors: Tomoko
authors: T
authors: Sato
authors: Tomomitsu
authors: T
authors: Okamoto
authors: Yoshio
authors: Y
authors: Mori
authors: Hajime
authors: H
authors: Kuhara
authors: Steven G
authors: SG
authors: Silverberg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D003238:Connective Tissue / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D019941:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16 / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004714:Endometrial Hyperplasia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011127:Polyps / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D014591:Uterine Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D019941:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16