Objective: To investigate the clinicopathologic features of microcystic, elongated and fragmented (MELF) pattern invasion of endometrial adenocarcinoma. Methods: HE and immunohistochemistry staining method were used to analysis morphologic features and immunophenotype of 72 patients of endometrial adenocarcinoma with MELF pattern invasion, and chi-square test was used to analysis the clinicopathologic features. Results: The mean age of 72 patients was 54 years (40 to 70 years). Thirty-two patients were pre-menopausal and 40 were post-menopausal. According to the FIGO staging system (2014), 32 cases(44.4%)were at stage Ⅰ, 22 cases(30.6%)at stage Ⅱ, 17 cases(23.6%)at stage Ⅲ and 1 case(1.4%) at stage Ⅳ. Microscopically, MELF invasion showed microcystic, elongated slit-like or fragmented glands in myometrium and their lining cells usually were cube or flat, as well as the single or clusters of eosinophilic tumor cells mimicking histocytes. In addition, a fibromyxoid or inflammatory stromal response was often present.Immunohistochemical staining showed that MELF invasion was positive for p16, CA125 and CA19-9, but negative for ER, PR and p53.Compared with non-MELF pattern invasion, significant differences were noted in menopause pausimenia, FIGO stages, deep invasion into myometrium, lymph metastasis, lymphovascular space invasion (LVSL), serum CA125 and CA19-9 in patients with MELF pattern invasion (all P<0.05). Conclusions MELF pattern invasion of endometrial adenocarcinoma is characterized by advanced FIGO stage, deep myoinvasion, high metastasis rate to lymph node and LVSL. Pathologists should recognize the MELF invasion and evaluate the depth of myometrium of infiltration and LVSL with special attention to the presence of MELF invasion with necessary immunohistochemistry for more accurate pathological diagnosis.

Objective: To investigate the expression of Apelin and Snail proteins in breast cancer and their relationship with the clinicopathological features and prognosis. Methods: The expression of Apelin and Snail proteins was detected by immunohistochemistry in 89 cases of breast cancer and 50 cases of mammary adenosis collected from January to June in 2008 at Fujian Cancer Hospital; the expression was correlated with the clinicopathological features and outcome of the patients. Results: Apelin and Snail were expressed in 42 cases(47.2%)and 36 cases(40.4%)of breast cancers, respectively, and the expression was higher than that of control group (P<0.01). The expression of Apelin was positively correlated with Snail (r=0.230, P<0.05). Apelin expression was associated with lymph node metastasis and TNM staging(P<0.05). Snail expression was associated with lymph node metastasis(P<0.05). Kaplan-Meier survival curve showed that the prognosis of Apelin positive group was worse than that of Apelin negative group (P<0.01). There was no significant difference in prognosis between Snail negative and positive groups (P>0.05). The prognosis of Apelin and Snail in both positive groups was worse than that of Apelin and Snail both negative groups (P<0.01). Multivariate COX regression analysis showed that Apelin and TNM staging could be used as independent prognostic factors for breast cancer (P<0.05). Conclusions Apelin and Snail are highly expressed in breast cancer, and associated with lymph node metastasis and TNM stage. There is a positive correlation between Apelin and Snail expression, which may suggest a role in breast carcinogenesis. The prognosis of breast cancer with expression of Apelin and co-expression of Apelin and Snail is poor. Therefore, Apelin may be used as an effective indicator to evaluate the prognosis of breast cancer patients.