Primary endometrioid adenocarcinoma of the rectovaginal septum is rare. Its pathogenesis is not clear and there is no standard treatment. One patient with endometrioid adenocarcinoma of the rectovaginal septum arising from deep infiltrative endometriosis was admitted to Qingdao Municipal Hospital. The patient presented with incessant menstruation and abdominal distension. She had bilateral ovarian endometriotic cystectomy 6 years ago. Imaging findings suggested a pelvic mass which might invade the rectovaginal septum. Pathological results of primary surgery confirmed endometrioid carcinoma of the pelvic mass arising from the rectovaginal septum. Then she had a comprehensive staged surgery. Postoperative chemotherapy was given 6 times. No recurrence or metastasis was found during the 2-year follow-up. The possibility of deep infiltrating endometriosis and its malignant transformation should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a new extragonadal pelvic lesion in a patient with a history of endometriosis, which would avoid misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis.
Female ; Humans ; Carcinoma, Endometrioid/surgery* ; Endometriosis/surgery* ; Rectum ; Vagina ; Cystectomy

Carcinoma, Endometrioid/pathology* ; Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine/surgery* ; Carcinoma, Small Cell/surgery* ; Endometrial Neoplasms/pathology* ; Female ; Humans ; Ovarian Neoplasms/surgery* ; Uterus/pathology*

Endometriosis of a surgical scar is rare and occurs mainly when a hysterectomy or Cesarean section was performed. We describe a 54-year-old woman with a large suprapubic mass as a definite case of a endomerioid carcinoma developing within the scar endometriosis following Cesarean section. Scar endometriosis, as well as endometriosis at other sites, can turn malignant. Endometrioid carcinoma is the most common histological pattern of malignant tumor arising in endometriosis. But clear cell carcinoma is very unusual. A case of primary clear cell carcinoma in endometriosis of a Cesarean section scar is described. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first documented case of endomerioid carcinoma developing within the scar endometriosis in Korea.
Adenocarcinoma, Clear Cell/surgery ; Adenocarcinoma, Clear Cell/pathology ; Adenocarcinoma, Clear Cell/etiology* ; Carcinoma, Endometrioid/surgery ; Carcinoma, Endometrioid/pathology ; Carcinoma, Endometrioid/etiology* ; Case Report ; Cesarean Section/adverse effects* ; Cicatrix* ; Endometriosis/physiopathology ; Female ; Human ; Middle Age ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed/methods

Corded and hyalinized endometrioid carcinoma (CHEC) is a morphologic variant of endo-metrioid adenocarcinoma. The tumor exhibits a biphasic appearance with areas of traditional low-grade adenocarcinoma merging directly with areas of diffuse growth composed of epithelioid or spindled tumor cells forming cords, small clusters, or dispersed single cells. It is crucial to distinguish CHEC from its morphological mimics, such as malignant mixed mullerian tumor (MMMT), because CHECs are usually low stage, and are associated with a good post-hysterectomy prognosis in most cases while the latter portends a poor prognosis. The patient reported in this article was a 54-year-old woman who presented with postmenopausal vaginal bleeding for 2 months. The ultrasound image showed a thickened uneven echo endometrium of approximately 12.2 mm and a detectable blood flow signal. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed an abnormal endometrial signal, considered endometrial carcinoma (Stage Ⅰ B). On hysterectomy specimen, there was an exophytic mass in the uterine cavity with myometrium infiltrating. Microscopically, most component of the tumor was well to moderately differentiated endometrioid carcinoma. Some oval and spindle stromal cells proliferated on the superficial surface of the tumor with a bundle or sheet like growth pattern. In the endometrial curettage specimen, the proliferation of these stromal cells was more obvious, and some of the surrounding stroma was hyalinized and chondromyxoid, which made the stromal cells form a cord-like arrangement. Immunostains were done and both the endometrioid carcinoma and the proliferating stroma cells showed loss of expression of DNA mismatch repair protein MLH1/PMS2 and wild-type p53 protein. Molecular testing demonstrated that this patient had a microsatellite unstable (MSI) endometrial carcinoma. The patient was followed up for 6 months, and there was no recurrence. We diagnosed this case as CHEC, a variant of endometrioid carcinoma, although this case did not show specific β-catenin nuclear expression that was reported in previous researches. The striking low-grade biphasic appearance without TP53 mutation confirmed by immunohistochemistry and molecular testing supported the diagnosis of CHEC. This special morphology, which is usually distributed in the superficial part of the tumor, may result in differences between curettage and surgical specimens. Recent studies have documented an aggressive clinical course in a significant proportion of cases. More cases are needed to establish the clinical behaviors, pathologic features, and molecular profiles of CHECs. Recognition of the relevant characteristics is the prerequisite for pathologists to make correct diagnoses and acquire comprehensive interpretation.
Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Carcinoma, Endometrioid/surgery* ; Endometrial Neoplasms/pathology* ; Endometrium/metabolism* ; Adenocarcinoma/pathology* ; Stromal Cells/pathology*

INTRODUCTIONThere is no consensus on the extent of lymphadenectomy and the appropriate patients for lymphadenectomy in low-risk patients with endometrial cancer. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of laparoscopic lymphadenectomy for low-risk patients with endometrial cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODSFrom January 2004 to May 2008, we reviewed the medical records of 28 patients with low-risk, endometrial cancer; endometrioid type, grade 1 or 2, and with a depth of myometrial invasion of less than one-half of the myometrium. All patients underwent laparoscopically-assisted staging surgery.

RESULTSThe median age and body mass index were 56 years (range, 28 to 75) and 25.5 kg/m(2) (range, 21.3 to 37.2). The median operating time, estimated blood loss, and length of hospital stay were 142 minutes (range, 110 to 410), 215 mL (range, 100 to 700), and 7 days (range, 3 to 19), respectively. No conversion to laparotomy was noted. The median number of harvested lymph nodes was 21 (range, 10 to 48) pelvic nodes and 12 (range, 4 to 21) para-aortic nodes. One (3.6%) patient presented pelvic lymph node metastasis and 2 (7.1%) presented isolated para-aortic lymph node metastasis. The complication rate was 14.3%. No recurrence in the vaginal vault, distant metastasis, port site metastasis was noted up to the last follow-up.

CONCLUSIONSystemic pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy should be considered in all low-risk patients with endometrial cancer until it is concluded to be clinically insignificant through large-scale prospective research in the future. However, it will be difficult to explain statistical differences in survival rates according to lymphadenectomy, because the increase of the survival rate resulting from lymphadenectomy will fall within the margin of statistical error.

Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Endometrioid ; pathology ; surgery ; Endometrial Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Lymph Node Excision ; methods ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; Retroperitoneal Space ; surgery ; Retrospective Studies

Adult ; Carcinoma, Endometrioid ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; Sex Cord-Gonadal Stromal Tumors ; pathology ; surgery

OBJECTIVE: To explore the influence of carbon dioxide pneumoperitoneum-laparoscopic surgery on tumor cell seeding and metastases in endometrial cancer. METHODS: Twenty patients with endometrial cancer who underwent laparoscopic surgery and 10 patients with endometrial cancer who underwent laparotomic surgery were enrolled. Each patient was in preoperative clinical StageIand the uterus size in each patient was less than 12 weeks of pregnancy. Carbon dioxide pneumoperitoneum was established and maintained with CO2 insufflation at 4 approximately 6 L/min and intraperitoneal pressure of 13 mmHg with an automatic pneumoperitoneum machine. Cytologic examination of peritoneal fluid(at the beginning and end of the operation), CO2 filtrated gas and the lavage fluid of instruments during the laparoscopic surgery were performed. The protein expressions of E-cadherin,beta-catenin,P-selectin,matrix metalloproteinase-2(MMP-2),vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF),and CD44v6 in tumor tissues before and after the operation were detected by DAKO Envision. RESULTS: There were no case of positive washing cytology in the peritoneal fluid,CO2 filtrated gas, and the lavage fluid of instruments during the laparoscopic surgery. The expressions of E-cadherin and beta-catenin proteins were obviously abnormal in endometrial cancer. The abnormal expressions of E-cadherin and beta-catenin protein between the pre- and post-operations were not significantly different in both the laparoscopic group and the laparotomic group(P>0.05).The changes of abnormal expressions of E-cadherin and beta-catenin protein were no statistical difference between the two groups(P>0.05). The positive protein expressions of P-selectin,MMP-2,VEGF,and CD44v6 were not significantly different between the pre- and post-operations both in the laparoscopic group and the laparotomic group(P>0.05),and there was also no significant difference between the laparoscopic group and the laparotomic group(P>0.05).The follow-up period in the laparoscopic group was 7 approximately 19 (14.25+/-3.65) months and 7 approximately 19 (13.10+/-4.23) months in the laparotomic group. One patient got infection in the urinary system in the laparoscopic group and one patient had lower extremity venous thrombosis in the laparoscopic group.No recurrence was detected in both groups. CONCLUSION Laparoscopic surgery for endometrial cancer has no effect on protein expressions of E-cadherin,beta-catenin,P-selectin,MMP-2,VEGF,and CD44v6 in tumor tissues. No evidence has been found that CO2 pneumoperitoneum-laparoscopic surgery may favor endometrial cancer cell seeding and metastases.
Adult ; Carbon Dioxide ; Carcinoma, Endometrioid ; surgery ; Endometrial Neoplasms ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; adverse effects ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neoplasm Seeding ; Pneumoperitoneum, Artificial ; adverse effects

Primary endometrioid adenocarcinoma developed at urethrovaginal septum has not been reported. A 61-yr-old woman presented with recurrent urinary tract infection. She had received hormone replacement treatment with estrogen and progesterone for 5 yr. A pinpoint ulceration at slightly elevated anterior vaginal wall was found and biopsy revealed endometrioid adenocarcinoma. Magnetic resonance imaging showed the 4.3 cm sized mass in urethrovaginal septum. She has undergone anterior pelvic exenteration, pelvic lymph node dissection, and urostomy with ileal conduit. Microscopic finding of the pathology revealed endometrioid adenocarcinoma. Co-existence of endometriosis was not identified. Tumor at urethrovaginal septum was difficult to be detected till growing to be bulky, because of vaginal axis, misunderstanding of the tumor as symphysis pubis, no definitive symptom, and its rarity. This is the first reported case of extraovarian endometrioid adenocarcinoma developed at the urethrovaginal septum. Understanding normal functional anatomy and meticulous physical examination are essential to detect this rare tumor in the urethrovaginal septum.
Carcinoma, Endometrioid/*diagnosis/pathology/surgery ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Endometrial Neoplasms/*diagnosis/pathology/surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Middle Aged ; Urethral Neoplasms/*diagnosis/pathology/surgery ; Vaginal Neoplasms/*diagnosis/pathology/surgery

OBJECTIVETo investigate the usefulness of high-field MR diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in the diagnosis of endometrial carcinoma.

METHODSThirty-five female patients with pathologically proven endometrial carcinoma, 10 patients with pathologically proven endometrial dysplasia and 41 normal volunteers were enrolled into this study. MR images were obtained at a 3.0 T MR scanner (GE, SIGNA EXCITE HD 3.0T) and an 8-element phased-array torsopa coil was used to receive MR signal. The conventional pulse sequences included axial SE T1WI, FSE T2WI and fat saturated FSE T2WI, sagittal FSE T2WI, and coronal fat saturated FSE T2WI. Axial DWI was performed in all patients using a SE-EPI sequence with a 1000 s/mm(2) b value. The apparent diffusion coefficients (ADC) of carcinoma, dysplasia and normal mucosa were measured among the patients.

RESULTSCompared with myometrium, all the endometrial carcinoma, dysplasia and normal endometrium had a markedly high signal intensity on DWI. The ADC of endometrial carcinoma, dysplasia and normal endometrium was (1.08 +/- 0.23) x 10(-3)mm(2)/s, (1.29 +/- 0.21) x 10(-3) mm(2)/s and (1.41 +/- 0.21) x 10(-3) mm(2)/s, respectively. There were statistically significant differences between the carcinoma and normal endometrium (t = -6.416, P = 0.000), and between the carcinoma and dysplasia (t = -2.590, P = 0.013). However, no significant difference in ADC was found between highly-differentiated and moderately-differentiated adenocarcinomas.

CONCLUSIONHigh-field MR diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) is highly sensitive in detecting endometrial lesions. It can be used to differentiate the endometrial carcinoma from either dysplasia or normal endometrium, but is difficult to differentiate highly-differentiated adenocarcinoma from moderately-differentiated one.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Carcinoma, Endometrioid ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Cystadenocarcinoma, Serous ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; methods ; Ectodermal Dysplasia ; diagnosis ; Endometrial Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Endometrium ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Myometrium

OBJECTIVETo investigate the impact of surgical resection extent and other clinicopathological characteristics on the prognosis in patients with clinical stage I endometrial carcinoma.

METHODSThe data of 135 surgically treated patients with clinical stage I endometrial carcinoma were retrospectively analyzed. Fifty-seven patients (group A) underwent simple hysterectomy and salpingo-oophorectomy with or without pelvic lymphadenectomy. The other 78 patients (group B) received sub-radical or radical hysterectomy and salpingo-oophorectomy with or without pelvic lymphadenectomy. The impact of surgery extent and other clinicopathological characteristics on the prognosis in patients with clinical stage I endometrial carcinoma were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTSThere were no significant differences between two groups in the pathological stage, pathologic type, tumor grade, depth of myometrial invasion, vascular tumor emboli, ovary invasion, lymph node metastasis, positive peritoneal cytology and adjuvant therapy (P > 0.05). However, the patients in group A had a significantly shorter operating time (105 vs. 145 min), less estimated blood loss (150 vs. 300 ml) and blood transfusion (0 approximately 600 vs. 0 approximately 1200 ml), and a shorter postoperative hospital stay (12 vs. 13 days) than that in group B (all P < 0.05). The overall rates of post-operative complications were 15.8% in group A versus 26.9% in group B (P > 0.05). The recurrence rate in the group A was 14.0% versus 6.4% in group B (P > 0.05). Furthermore, the five-year survival rate in group A was 76.9% versus 85.8% in group B (P > 0.05). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that the important risk factors for clinical stage I endometrial carcinoma were deep myometrium invasion, high pathological grade, positive peritoneal cytology and ovarian metastasis, rather than surgical resection extent.

CONCLUSIONSurgery extent is not an important factor affecting the prognosis in patients with clinical stage I endometrial carcinoma, and extended surgery does not improve their survival. Therefore, excessive resection should be avoided in such cases.

Adenocarcinoma, Clear Cell ; pathology ; surgery ; therapy ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Blood Loss, Surgical ; Carcinoma, Adenosquamous ; pathology ; surgery ; therapy ; Carcinoma, Endometrioid ; pathology ; surgery ; therapy ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Endometrial Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Hysterectomy ; methods ; Length of Stay ; Lymph Node Excision ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Radiotherapy, Adjuvant ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate