title: Maspin expression, subcellular localization and clinicopathological correlation in endometrial hyperplasia and endometrial adenocarcinoma.
abstract: Maspin expression in endometrial hyperplasia and endometrial endometrioid adenocarcinomas was assessed and its correlation with p53 and Ki67 expressions and clinical outcome, as well as its potential to distinguish typical from atypical endometrial hyperplasia, were assessed in this study. Histological sections from 114 cases of endometrial endometrioid adenocarcinoma, 75 cases of endometrial hyperplasia (typical and atypical), and 23 normal endometrial tissue samples were examined. The most representative hematoxylin-eosin slides were selected and 2-3 micron-thick sections were cut for immunohistochemical staining with maspin, p53, and Ki67 antibodies. While there was no maspin expression in normal endometrial cells, it was present in 14.5% of the patients with endometrial hyperplasia without atypia. Staining for maspin was positive in atypical hyperplasia and endometrial adenocarcinoma in, respectively, 45% and 49.1% of the cases studied. No statistically significant correlations were found between maspin and Ki-67 antibodies or p53 expression. Our findings showed that maspin expression, which generally correlates with a less aggressive behavior, is significantly higher in atypical hyperplasia and in endometrial endometrioid adenocarcinoma. Maspin positivity in endometrial hyperplasia could be used to identify pseudo-atypical hyperplasia and could be considered a potentially useful prognostic parameter in those cases in which adenocarcinomas are well differentiated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine -DIMED, Pathology Section, University of Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Stella
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Blandamura
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine -DIMED, Pathology Section, University of Padova, Italy. lara.alessandrini@unipd.it.
authors.forename: Lara
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Alessandrini
authors.affiliation: Department of Women's and Children's Health, Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic, University of Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Saccardi
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine -DIMED, Pathology Section, University of Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Luciano
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Giacomelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Women's and Children's Health, Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic, University of Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Alberta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fabris
authors.affiliation: Department of Women's and Children's Health, Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic, University of Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Borghero
authors.affiliation: Department of Women's and Children's Health, Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic, University of Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Litta
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004714:Endometrial Hyperplasia / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D004717:Endometrium / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D015843:Serpins / Q000378:metabolism*; D013347:Subcellular Fractions / Q000378:metabolism; D015996:Survival Rate; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; C085344:SERPIN-B5; D015843:Serpins; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53