Malignant Acanthosis Nigricans and Tripe Palms in a Patient with Endometrial Adenocarcinoma—A Case Report and Review of Literature

Background:In the world literature, uterine carcinoma associated with paraneoplastic malignant acanthosis nigricans and tripe palms has been mentioned in two review articles. Endometrial adenocarcinoma associated with malignant acanthosis nigricans without tripe palms has been cited in three case reports, and endometrial adenocarcinoma associated with tripe palms without malignant acanthosis nigricans has been cited in one case report. We present the case of a patient with endometrial adenocarcinoma associated with acanthosis nigricans and tripe palms which we have been following for the past 7 years.Methods:Our 54-year-old patient had been operated for moderately differentiated endometrial adenocarcinoma. She had also received postoperative radiotherapy.Results:Three years after surgery, tripe palms and acanthosis nigricans with generalized pruritus occurred. After treatment with etretinate, the skin symptoms were somewhat mitigated while the pruritus persisted. Six years after gynecologic treatment, a solitary inguinal metastatic lymph node of endometrial carcinoma was detected. Following lymphadenectomy there was additional but not complete mitigation of skin symptoms including pruritus.Conclusions:In clinical practice the association of malignant acanthosis nigricans and tripe palms with endometrial adenocarcinoma is found extremely rarely. Although the survival time of adenocarcinoma patients with malignant acanthosis nigricans is short, our patient has been treated and followed for more than 7 years.     

Sister Mary Joseph’s nodule originating from endometrial carcinoma incidentally detected during surgery for an umbilical hernia: a case report

Introduction Umbilical metastasis (Sister Mary Joseph’s nodule) is rare. It is encountered in 1–3% of patients with intra-abdominal and/or pelvic malignancy, with gastric carcinoma being the commonest origin in men and ovarian carcinoma—in women. Only 27 cases of Sister Mary Joseph’s nodule originating from endometrial carcinoma have previously been documented in the literature.Case report In a 51-year-old woman, a Sister Mary Joseph’s nodule coexisting with a large fibroid uterus was incidentally detected during surgery for suspected strangulated umbilical hernia. Subsequent laparotomy confirmed endometrial carcinoma metastasizing to the umbilical region.Conclusion This is the 28th case reported in the literature of Sister Mary Joseph’s nodule originating from endometrial carcinoma and the first case of Sister Mary Joseph’s nodule originating from endometrial carcinoma incidentally detected during surgery for umbilical hernia. Surgeons should be aware of the possibility of Sister Mary Joseph’s nodule coexisting with an umbilical hernia.     

子宫内膜癌肌层浸润深度的评估

目的　探讨术前B超、术中肉眼观察、术后大体标本测量和血清CA12 5测定 ,对判断子宫内膜癌肌层浸润深度的价值。方法　采用术前B超、术中肉眼观察和术后大体标本测量对 13 3例手术病理分期Ⅰ期子宫内膜癌患者的肌层浸润深度的判断进行评估 ,并分析 91例 (79例为Ⅰ期 ,12例为同期的Ⅱ～Ⅳ期患者 )子宫内膜癌患者血清CA12 5水平与子宫内膜癌的关系。结果　术前B超判断子宫内膜癌肌层浸润和深肌层浸润的敏感性分别为 62 6%和 47 8% ,特异性分别为 67 7%和90 0 % ;术中肉眼观察判断子宫内膜癌肌层浸润和深肌层浸润的敏感性分别为 5 9 6%和 73 9% ,特异性分别为 76 5 %和 94 6% ;术后大体标本测量判断子宫内膜癌肌层浸润和深肌层浸润的敏感性分别为 70 0 %和 94 4% ,特异性分别 92 0 %和 97 7%。子宫内膜癌手术病理分期Ⅰ期患者血清CA12 5水平异常 (≥ 3 5kU/L)的发生率为 8% (6/79) ,Ⅱ～Ⅳ期患者的发生率为 5 8% (7/12 ) ,血清CA12 5水平异常的发生率与手术病理分期的期别有极显著相关性 (P <0 0 0 1) ,而与子宫内膜癌肌层浸润深度无显著相关性 (P >0 0 5 )。结论　术前B超、术中肉眼观察和术后大体标本测量对判断Ⅰ期子宫内膜癌肌层浸润深度有一定帮助 ,其中术后大体标本测量的准确性相对较好。血     

Guillain-Barre syndrome occurring after adjuvant chemo-radiotherapy for endometrial cancer

BACKGROUND: The association between Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) and malignancy is uncommon and has not been previously reported in gynecological cancers. CASE: Our case documents this syndrome occurring in a patient shortly after completion of adjuvant chemo-radiotherapy for endometrial carcinoma. We review the current literature and discuss potential pathogenic mechanisms of this likely paraneoplastic association. CONCLUSION: GBS in cancer patients is a potentially life-threatening condition and should be differentiated from simple chemotherapy toxicity, particularly as effective treatment is available.     

A rare case of choroidal metastasis presented after conservative management of endometrial cancer

Hematogenous dissemination from endometrial cancer is quite rare. We report a 31-year-old woman who developed choroidal metastasis following conservative management of early-stage endometrial carcinoma. She had received kidney transplantation and was taking steroids and cyclosporine. Three years after hysterectomy for persistent endometrial carcinoma, she developed multiple metastatic disease (to both lungs and right pelvis), and while on treatment with paclitaxel and carboplatin, she complained of a rapid visual deterioration. Ophthalmologic evaluation revealed a metastatic choroidal tumor associated with multiple central nervous system metastases. The patient refused further treatment and died 1 month after diagnosis of choroidal involvement. In conclusion, this is the first reported case of choroidal metastasis from endometrial cancer and highlights the need to consider immunosuppressive treatment as an absolute contraindication to conservative fertility-sparing treatment in gynecological malignancies.     

The significance of intrauterine lesions detected by ultrasound in asymptomatic postmenopausal patients

A retrospective study on 82 women with an incidental sonographic finding suspected to be intrauterine polyps was undertaken to assess the histopathologic characteristics of such polyps utilising operative hysteroscopy. Endometrial polyps were found in 68 patients, submucousal myomas in 7, atrophic endometrium in 6 and thickened proliferative endometrium was found in 1 patient. Simple hyperplasia was found in one polyp but neither endometrial carcinoma nor complex hyperplasia was found. The total complication rate was 3.6%. It appears that the risk of endometrial carcinoma in postmenopausal women with asymptomatic endometrial polyps is low, although a larger series is required to confirm this finding.     

Endometrial carcinoma in young women. A report of four cases

Endometrial carcinoma in young women is a rare but well-documented clinicopathologic entity. Four cases revealed some unusual clinical and pathologic features. Patient 1 was the first recorded case of a young woman (aged 24) on maintenance peritoneal dialysis for chronic renal failure who developed endometrial carcinoma with nonvirilizing oligoovulatory polycystic ovarian enlargement. Following subtotal proctocolectomy for familial polyposis coli complicated by a colonic and rectal carcinoma, patient 2 developed, at age 24, a grade 3 endometrial carcinoma in the absence of any risk factors; she was still alive three years postoperatively despite the subsequent development of a grade 3 astrocytoma in the left temporal region. Patient 3 presented at age 32 after ten years of amenorrhea with the clinical features of the Stein-Leventhal syndrome and abnormal uterine bleeding related to a grade 1 endometrial carcinoma; she also had focal dysplasia and adenocarcinoma in situ of the endocervix. Patient 4, who had no risk factors, developed a grade 2 endometrial carcinoma at age 34 despite constant use of combined oral contraceptives for one year and intermittent exposure to them for the previous ten years. Endometrial carcinoma is a rare but important cause of abnormal uterine bleeding in young women; the prognosis can be improved only by prompt diagnosis and appropriate therapy.     

Preoperative assessment of deep myometrial and cervical invasion in endometrial carcinoma: Comparison of magnetic resonance imaging and gross visual inspection

Abstract. Cunha TM, Félix A, Cabral I. Preoperative assessment of deep myometrial and cervical invasion in endometrial carcinoma: Comparison of magnetic resonance imaging and gross visual inspection.
This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the detection of deep myometrial invasion and cervical extension by endometrial carcinoma. We also aimed to compare MRI results to surgical staging of endometrial carcinoma. Forty women with a histologic diagnosis of endometrial carcinoma underwent a preoperative pelvic MRI. In 33 cases intraoperative gross visual inspection (GVI) of the surgical specimen was also evaluated. The results obtained were compared with the histologic diagnosis. Pathologic evaluation of the myometrium determined that superficial invasion was present in 25 patients and deep invasion in 15. The uterine cervix was found to be involved in 12 cases. The accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of MRI and GVI were 93%/91%, 80%/77%, and 100%/100%, respectively, in detecting deep myometrial invasion and 80%/79%, 33%/36% and 100%/100%, respectively, in determining cervical invasion. When the Kappa statistical measurement was applied, the results from each technique, MRI and GVI, showed an agreement on the evaluation of myometrial and cervical invasion by endometrial carcinoma. In conclusion, MRI, in this series, was demonstrated to be a reliable method for preoperative endometrial carcinoma "imagiological staging". The high accuracy achieved by MRI and GVI suggests that they may be used interchangeably.     

三维超声联合子宫内膜采集器在子宫内膜癌筛查中的应用#br#

Objective?To explore the value of three-dimensional ultrasound combined with disposable endometrial cell samplers in endometrial carcinoma screening. Methods?108 women with vaginal bleeding after menopause, abnormal uterine bleeding, vaginal discharge and other suspected symptoms from Jaunary 2018 to December 2020 in The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University were involved. The endometrium was collected by three-dimensional ultrasound combined with endometrial cell samplers, cytology and histology performed simultaneously. Benign endometrial lesions were defined as negative, endometrial dysplasia and endometrial carcinoma as positive. Results?Among the 102 patients (excluding the successful patients who had not been brushed), 56 patients (54.90%) were pathologically diagnosed as benign lesions, 46 patients (45.10%) were diagnosed as endometrial carcinoma or atypical hyperplasia. Compared with the pathological results, the diagnostic coincidence rates of three-dimensional ultrasound, endometrial collector and combined examination were 88.24%, 93.14% and 97.06%, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of the combined examination were 96.00%, 100.00%, 100.00% and 96.43%, respectively. Conclusion?Three-dimensional ultrasound combined with disposable endometrial cell samplers has high diagnostic accuracy and is easy to operate in the screening of endometrial carcinoma, which is expected to be an ideal screening method for endometrial carcinoma.     

Ultrasonographic endometrial thickness for diagnosing endometrial pathology in postmenopausal bleeding.

We conducted this retrospective analysis of our clinical data to identify the incidence of benign endometrial abnormalities, endometrial carcinoma and to find out the endometrial thickness (ET) cut-off point using trans-vaginal ultrasonography for patients with postmenopausal bleeding (PMB) referred to the Rapid Access Clinic in Northampton General Hospital. All women referred between April 2004 and April 2005 with PMB were included in this analysis. Final diagnostic outcome was classified into benign endometrial polyp, endometrial hyperplasia, endometrial carcinoma or normal (by excluding these pathologies). A total of 142 patients were included in this survey. The incidence of abnormal endometrial pathology was found to be 23.9% and 5% for endometrial carcinoma. Our results suggested that benign endometrial pathology is the most common cause of postmenopausal bleeding. Lowering the endometrial thickness cut-off point from 5 mm to 3 mm will not improve the diagnostic accuracy of endometrial carcinoma.     

Synchronous endometrial and cervical tumors in a 26-year-old nullipara: diagnostic modalities updated

Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), performed on conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners, provides useful information at the biochemical level. MRS has been used to measure tissue concentrations of proton-containing compounds such as organic and amino acids, and sugars in living tissues. We have used MRS in a 26-year-old female with suspected cervical and endometrial carcinomas. With the use of the above mentioned technique, biochemical differences in the endometrium and the cervix tissues were detected. The presented case is the first virgin patient in the relevant literature in whom endometrial and cervical carcinoma was detected. Choline (Cho), creatine (Cr), N-acetylaspartate (NAA), lipid and lactate region of the MRS spectrum suggested that the technique could be used as an indicator of metabolic alterations in the cervical and endometrial tumor cells.     

Bilateral Brenner tumor with endometrial adenocarcinoma in a postmenopausal woman

Brenner tumor is a rare ovarian neoplasm which is generally monolateral, more rarely bilateral, and often associated with endometrial disorders related to oestrogenic production. However, there is no considerable evidence that the possible oestrogenic production of this tumor may be the cause of endometrial disorders. A case of bilateral Brenner tumor with endometrial adenocarcinoma in a postmenopausal woman is presented and the features are briefly discussed, with the conclusion that hormone-producing Brenner tumors may exert their promoter effect on the development of endometrial carcinoma causing an imbalance in the oestrogen and progesterone ratio rather than producing a large amount of oestrogen.     

Malignant pericardial effusion in endometrial adenocarcinoma

A case of endometrial adenocarcinoma in a 62-year-old woman with malignant pericardial effusion is presented. The patient underwent a total abdominal hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, pelvic node dissection, and paraaortic node biopsy. Postoperatively, she was placed on a combination chemotherapy regimen of cisplatin, doxorubicin, and cyclophosphamide. The patient developed cardiac tamponade during the course of chemotherapy. Although we first suspected cardiotoxic effect of doxorubicin, cytologic examination revealed adenocarcinoma cells in the pericardial fluid. A review of the literature revealed no other cases of cardiac metastasis from endometrial carcinoma diagnosed during life.     

Screening by Ultrasonography for Endometrial Carcinoma in Postmenopausal Breast Cancer Patients under Adjuvant Tamoxifen

Seven-hundred thirty-seven asymptomatic postmenopausal breast cancer patients under long-term adjuvant tamoxifen therapy (average, 50 months) were screened by endometrial ultrasonography. Abnormal endometrial thickness (6 mm or larger) was observed in 209 subjects and was significantly associated with patients’ age and duration of tamoxifen therapy. Outpatient endometrial biopsy was recommended in presence of abnormal endometrial thickness: 25 subjects refused biopsy, whereas 76 were not biopsied because of cervical stenosis and were followed-up by repeat sonography. Of 108 biopsied subjects, one case of endometrial carcinoma (as expected in the screened cohort according to age-specific incidence rates provided by the regional cancer registry) and one case of endometrial hyperplasia were histologically confirmed, whereas endometrial atrophy was evident in the remaining cases. No other case of endometrial carcinoma has been recorded so far in the studied cohort according to the local cancer registry and no further change of the endometrium has been observed at sonographic follow-up. The cohort will be followed-up by repeat annual endometrial sonography. Thus far, we did not find evidence of increased prevalence of endometrial pathology (carcinoma or hyperplasia) which may be ascribed to tamoxifen therapy. The apparent increase in endometrial thickness observed at sonography might be explained by tamoxifen-induced changes of endometrial stroma and myometrium, misinterpreted as hyperplasia, while causing no real epithelial disease.     

Polymyositis in a patient with recurring ovarian cancer and history of unrelated breast cancer

Background Polymyositis (PM) is an idiopathic inflammatory myopathy. Occasionally, it may present as a paraneoplastic syndrome and it is strongly associated with ovarian and weakly with breast cancer. We present here a case of a 60-year-old patient with sequential breast and ovarian (second primary) carcinomas followed by PM as a paraneoplastic disorder. Case report The patient had been diagnosed with stage I breast carcinoma 3 years ago and had been treated with conservative surgery followed by radiotherapy and six cycles of chemotherapy (CMF). One and a half year later an ovarian carcinoma was diagnosed for which the patient underwent abdominal hysterectomy oophorectomy and omentectomy. The pathological report characterized it as second primary. Adjuvant chemotherapy with carboplatin and taxol was administered. Fourteen months after the initial laparotomy, the patient was re-operated due to ovarian carcinoma recurrence which was involving all lesser pelvis organs. After a successful radical removal of the recurrence the patient developed a fully expressed PM. This case serves to remind that this disease can occur as a paraneoplastic disorder.     

Vaginal metastasis and thrombocytopenia from renal cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND: Vaginal cancer represents approximately 1-2% of genital tract malignancies. Most cases represent metastasis from the cervix, endometrium, or colon. Metastasis of renal cell carcinoma to the vagina is extremely rare. CASE: A 58-year-old female presented with a bleeding vaginal lesion. Laboratory studies revealed severe thrombocytopenia, and radiological studies revealed a left renal mass; excision was consistent with metastatic renal cell carcinoma. A subsequent nephrectomy confirmed renal cell carcinoma. Postoperatively, the patient underwent immunotherapy and the thrombocytopenia resolved. CONCLUSION: We report the first case of metastatic renal cell carcinoma presenting as a vaginal metastasis with thrombocytopenia as a paraneoplastic manifestation. Renal cell carcinoma must be in the differential diagnosis of a clear cell neoplasm in a postmenopausal woman, particularly with systemic symptoms suggestive of a paraneoplastic syndrome.     

Endometrial carcinoma in young women

Two hundred and fifty-four patients with endometrial carcinoma were diagnosed and treated from Feb. 1956 to Apr. 1987. Of these, 35 patients were below the age of 40 years at the time of diagnosis. These patients were analyzed and compared with those aged above 40. The main clinical manifestations were primary sterility and irregular menstruation. An endometrial carcinoma should be suspected in young women with menstruation disorder, sterility and follicular cyst of ovary refractory to treatment. The highly differentiated endometrial carcinoma in young women was easily confused with adenomatous hyperplasia and should be diagnosed with caution. In young patients with stage I well-differentiated disease desirous of childbirth, treatment by large dose of progestogens without hysterectomy may be the method of choice. Estimation of estrogen and progesterone receptors was very helpful in selecting therapeutic modalities and predicting prognosis. The difference of 5-year survival rates between these two groups of patients were not statistically significant.     

An incidental diagnosis of endometrial cancer in a young and underweight female with isolated symptom of amenorrhea

ObjectiveWe demonstrate a young woman with the incidental diagnosis of endometrial cancer, although all common risk factors of endometrial cancer were absent and endometrial lining in ultrasound was smooth either.Case reportA 23-year-old female was referral from local clinic for frequent lower abdominal pain, enlarged right adnexal cystic tumor and suspected adnexal torsion. A special symptom of annual menses (menses around every year) was also complained. The onset of the amenorrhea was 6 years ago just after a laparoscopic salpingostomy for right pyosalpinx. Her body mass index (BMI) was 16.8 kg/m². Laboratory examination documented the level of prolactin, thyroid function, gonadotropins, estradiol and free testosterone were all within normal range. Pelvic ultrasound revealed the smooth endometrial lining with 1.2 cm in thickness. Laparoscopic surgery was arranged for the adnexal torsion. Besides, a diagnostic hysteroscopic was simultaneously planned for a further endometrial survey and endometrial sampling. Apart from a large functional cyst noted in right adnexa, the hysteroscopy disclosed diffuse polypoid endometrial lesions with neovascularity.The pathology showed atypical hyperplasia with focal endometrioid carcinoma. Postoperative magnetic resonance image revealed no residual tumor and FIGO IA status. Fertility preservation treatment with Mirena insertion was performed.ConclusionGenerally, the clues to detect endometrial neoplasm in a young female include family or genetic predisposition, menstrual patterns of abnormal spotting, obesity, risk of polycystic ovary syndrome and/or bizarre images of endometrial lining. However, the above conditions are all absent in the presenting case except the symptom of amenorrhea, in which the chronic anovulatory status may overstimulate the endometrium from the unopposed estrogen and potentially lead to the malignant transformation. Endometrial tissue assessment would be crucial for any young woman suspected to have prolonged exposure (≥6–12 months) of unopposed estrogenic stimulation.Endometrial tissue sampling in premenopausal group with amenorrhea for more than 6–12 months could not be ignored even for the young patient without common risk factors of endometrial cancer.     

Endometrial lymphoepitheliomalike carcinoma: absence of Epstein–Barr virus genomes

The aim of this study was to report a case of primary lymphoepitheliomalike endometrial carcinoma (FIGO stage IB). A 57-year-old woman presented with an endometrial tumor showing the classic clinical and hysteroscopic aspects of endometrial carcinoma. Morphologically, the neoplasm was similar to undifferentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma (lymphoepithelioma). Immunohistochemistry showed that the tumor cells were cyokeratins and epithelial membrane antigen positive. Leucocyte common antigen, estrogen and progesterone receptors, neuron specific enolase, cromogranin, synaptophysin, and p53 were negative. We did not find evidence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection using immunohistochemistry and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). We report the third case of an endometrial lymphoepitheliomalike carcinoma (LELC). The patient did not receive chemotherapy and is alive and free of disease 24 month after diagnosis. LELC can occur in the endometrium and in this location may not be associated with EBV infection.     

大剂量孕激素治疗子宫内膜不典型增生及早期子宫内膜癌的疗效及妊娠结局分析

目的:探讨大剂量孕激素治疗子宫内膜不典型增生及早期子宫内膜癌的疗效及妊娠结局。方法:选择2014年1月至2018年12月广州医科大学附属第三医院就诊的年轻且有生育要求的子宫内膜不典型增生患者24例及早期子宫内膜样腺癌患者6例,分析应用大剂量孕激素保守治疗的临床效果及妊娠结局。结果:24例子宫内膜不典型增生患者中完全缓解20例(83.33%),部分缓解0例,疾病稳定1例(4.17%),疾病进展1例(4.17%),疾病复发2例(8.33%);20例完全缓解中1例未婚,余19例中成功妊娠10例(52.63%),其中4例足月分娩,3例孕中期双胎流产,2例孕早期流产,1例孕早期随访中;2例疾病复发患者继续药物治疗后均完全缓解,其中1例自然受孕后足月分娩。6例早期高分化子宫内膜样腺癌完全缓解3例(50.00%),部分缓解0例,疾病稳定2例(33.33%),疾病进展0例,疾病复发1例(16.67%);疾病稳定2例最终行子宫内膜癌全面分期手术,余4例保留生育功能患者目前未成功妊娠。结论:密切随访下,大剂量孕激素治疗子宫内膜不典型增生和早期子宫内膜癌是安全有效的。