title: Shadow cell differentiation in endometrioid carcinomas of the uterus. Its frequent occurrence and beta-catenin expression.
abstract: Shadow cell differentiation (SCD) is typical for pilomatrixoma and related follicular tumors of the skin. However, it has been described rarely in some extra-cutaneous lesions such as gonadal teratoma, craniopharyngioma, odontogenic cyst, and in rare visceral carcinomas (lung, bladder, gallbladder, uterus, ovary, and colon). In our practice, we have noticed that the occurrence of shadow cells is not very rare in endometrioid carcinoma (EC) of the uterus. For exact determination of SCD in these tumors, we reviewed 59 consecutive cases of uterine EC. The series included curettage and hysteroscopic specimens. We have found SCD in 9 (15.3 %) of the tumors. In these cases, the age of the patients and FIGO grade did not differ significantly from other ECs. Immunohistochemically, all ECs with SCD showed nuclear expression of beta-catenin in areas of SCD, indicating a possible role of the Wnt signaling pathway in tumorigenesis as well as a role of nuclear accumulation of beta-catenin by trans-differentiation from glandular toward squamous and shadow cell phenotypes. We have found that the relatively frequent presence of SCD in ECs can assists in the diagnosis of these tumors.
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zámečník
authors.forename: Pavel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bartoš
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kaščák
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018269:Carcinoma, Endometrioid / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D060449:Wnt Signaling Pathway / Q000502:physiology; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C495270:CTNNB1 protein, human; D051176:beta Catenin
keywords: beta-catenin - endometrioid carcinoma - shadow cell differentiation - uterus.