Diagnostic accuracy of sonohysterography in the evaluation of uterine cavities in tamoxifen administered asymptomatic postmenopausal breast cancer patients with endometrial thickness ≥5 mm

To evaluate diagnostic efficacy of transvaginal saline infusion sonohysterography (TV-SHG) in the evaluation of uterine cavities in tamoxifen (TAM) administered asymptomatic postmenopausal breast cancer patients with increased endometrial thickness, sixty asymptomatic postmenopausal breast cancer women receiving adjuvant TAM treatment for at least 6 months and with endometrial thickness’ ≥5 mm measured in transvaginal ultrasonography (TVS) were enrolled. Each patient underwent TV-SHG, followed by outpatient hysteroscopy (HYS) with endometrial biopsy. TV-SHG application was accepted as unsuccessful in four cases (6.7%). When office HYS combined biopsy was considered as gold standard, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of TV-SHG were estimated as 90%, 100%, 100%, and 95%, respectively. Our findings showed that TV-SHG was a valuable diagnostic tool in the evaluation of uterine cavities of TAM administered asymptomatic postmenopausal patients having an increased endometrial thickness.     

绝经后乳腺癌患者服用他莫昔芬发生子宫内膜息肉危险因素的探讨

目的:探讨绝经后因乳腺癌服用他莫昔芬(TAM)与子宫内膜息肉发生的相关性。方法:随诊了46例绝经后服用TAM超过6个月的妇女,其中22例经宫腔镜手术及内膜病理证实为内膜息肉(A组),24例宫腔镜检查未发现息肉(B组)。比较2组服用TAM的时间、剂量,经阴道超声波(TVS)检查的结果,并分析与子宫内膜癌相关的危险因素。结果:息肉组妇女的体重明显重于非息肉组(P=0.013),且比非息肉组服用TAM的时间长,TAM的累计剂量增加(P值均为0.002)。经阴道超声波检查示息肉组子宫内膜增厚或者宫内异常回声的发生率明显高于非息肉组(P=0.019)。结论:肥胖,长期服用TAM超过2年或累计剂量超过15g是绝经后妇女服用TAM发生子宫内膜息肉的高危因素。TVS提示内膜增厚或者宫内异常回声有诊断价值,可作为预测内膜息肉发生的指标。     

阴道超声及子宫腔细胞学联合检查绝经后妇女子宫内膜病变

目的 评估阴道超声及宫腔细胞学联合检查绝经后妇女子宫内膜病变的价值。方法 应用阴道超声测量143例绝经后子宫出血患者的子宫内膜厚度,并于当日或次日行宫腔细胞学检查及分段诊断性刮宫（诊刮）术,将内膜测量及宫腔细胞学检查结果与诊刮组织病理结果进行比较。结果 阴道超声检查施行率为100．0％,以5mm为临界值诊断绝经后内膜癌及癌前病变的敏感性为100．0％,假阳性率为56．9％;宫腔细胞学检查的施行率为97．9％,取材满意率为73．6％,特异性为96．3％,假阴性率为2．5％。两者联合应用后的假阳性率为43．2％（P＜0．01）,无一例内膜部中前病变漏诊。结论 阴道超声及宫腔细胞学联合检查,是一种较好的筛查内膜癌及癌前病变的方法,可减少诊刮。     

Metastasis from breast carcinoma to a tamoxifen-related endometrial polyp

BACKGROUND: Metastasis of extragenital neoplasms to an endometrial polyp is rare and until now, only 6 cases of such involvement has been described. CASE: A 58-year-old woman, who had been diagnosed 4 years ago with infiltrating ductal breast carcinoma and treated with surgery and tamoxifen therapy, was admitted to the gynecology clinic because of endometrial thickening observed during a routine abdominal ultrasonographic examination. A total hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy was performed. Pathological examination of the specimen showed a large polyp which microscopically showed clusters of cells with signet ring morphology within the polyp stroma. The positivity of tumor cells for GCDFP-15 supported the diagnosis of metastatic breast carcinoma to endometrial polyp. CONCLUSION: Metastatic breast carcinoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis of carcinomas with signet ring cell morphology involving uterus.     

The value of sonohysterography in the prediction of endometrial pathologies in asymptomatic postmenopausal breast cancer tamoxifen-treated patients

BACKGROUND: The study evaluated the efficacy of sonohysterography in identifying endometrial pathologies in asymptomatic postmenopausal tamoxifen (TAM)-treated patients by evaluating its performance characteristics. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Multiple assessments of sonohysterography evaluations of intrauterine mass diameter were evaluated by logistic regression analysis based on overall 85 patients (who had transvaginal ultrasonographic endometrial thickness of >/=8 mm) followed by hysteroscopy and endometrial histological findings. Performance characteristics were calculated with correlation to the endometrial histological findings. RESULTS: The mean endometrial thickness was 14.6 +/- 6.2 mm, and the mean intrauterine mass diameter detected by SIS was 11.6 +/- 10.4 mm. There was a gradual decrease in sensitivity and gradual increase in specificity of the SIS studies with the increase in intrauterine mass diameter. False-negative and false-positive of SIS were 2.4% and 8.2%, respectively. ROC curve analysis of intrauterine mass revealed 5 mm as the best accurate cutoff value for the diagnosis of endometrial pathologies, with a sensitivity of 74.1%, specificity of 93.0%, and positive predictive value of 88.3% and negative predictive value of 84.2%. The risk of endometrial pathology was elevated by 1.37-fold, with any additional millimeter of diameter of the intrauterine mass. The mean diameter of the intrauterine mass gradually increased the greater the severity of the histological findings. CONCLUSIONS: Sonohysterography improves the accuracy of diagnosis of intrauterine mass in asymptomatic postmenopausal tamoxifen-treated patients. The size of the intrauterine mass correlates with the severity of the endometrial pathology.     

The value of transvaginal ultrasonography in the prediction of endometrial pathologies in asymptomatic postmenopausal breast cancer tamoxifen-treated patients

OBJECTIVE: There is no established ultrasonographic endometrial cutoff value for the diagnosis of endometrial pathologies in asymptomatic postmenopausal tamoxifen (TAM)-treated patients. We attempted to seek the most accurate cutoff value. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Multiple ultrasonographic cutoff points were evaluated by logistic regression analysis based on 279 patients who had transvaginal ultrasonographic examinations followed by endometrial histopathological analysis. Performance characteristics were calculated with correlation to the endometrial histological findings. We also calculated how many endometrial pathologies could have been left undiagnosed and the number of endometrial samplings, with different cutoff values, which could have been avoided. RESULTS: There was a gradual increase in specificity and a gradual decrease in sensitivity of the ultrasonographic studies with the increase of endometrial thickness. More overall and more various endometrial pathologies were identified with the increase in cutoff values. The best cutoff value appeared to be 15 mm (sensitivity 37.9%, specificity 87.2%, positive predictive value 63.0%, and negative predictive value 70.2%). However, by avoiding performance endometrial sampling up to this cutoff value, 62.2% endometrial pathologies including 48 endometrial polyps, one case of endometrial hyperplasia with atypia, and one case of endometrial cancer may have been left undiagnosed. At the same time, endometrial sampling in 78.5% of cases may have been avoided. CONCLUSION: In asymptomatic postmenopausal breast cancer tamoxifen-treated patients, the use of wider ultrasonographic endometrial cutoff values could be associated not only with the performance of fewer endometrial samplings, but also with a higher possibility of endometrial pathologies, including endometrial cancers, being left undiagnosed.     

子宫内膜癌介入治疗前后癌组织的病理学改变

目的：探讨子宫内膜癌介入治疗(盆腔动脉灌注化疗栓塞)前后的病理学改变。方法：对1991年3月至2002年10月9例子宫内膜癌患者实施术前介入治疗，抗癌药物选择CBP、ADM或EPI；全部病例在灌注化疗(2／3量抗癌药物)后，用携带有抗癌药物(1／3量)的KMG或明胶海绵颗粒栓塞子宫动脉或髂内动脉。结果：9例子宫内膜癌中7例在行1—2疗程的介入治疗后实施手术治疗，其中5例术后标本病理切片中可见大量坏死组织及淋巴细胞浸润，未见癌细胞，组织学完全缓解(HCR)；1例癌细胞绝大部分坏死仅见极少数残存变异的癌细胞，1例癌组织部分坏死，1例Ⅳ期的患者在2次介入治疗后失去手术机会，1例Ⅳ期患者在阴道出血成功止血后46天死于脑转移。结论：介入治疗对子宫内膜癌具有较好的疗效，可使部分患者达到HCR的效果。     

Histopathologic findings in women with postmenopausal bleeding: implication for endometrial thickness and circulating levels of sex steroid hormones

Objective The aim of this study is to compare the relationship between estrone (E1), estradiol (E2), androgens, and prolactin blood levels on the one hand, and endometrial thickness and related histopathologic results on the other, in postmenopausal women admitted with uterine bleeding. Methods The study was conducted in Gazi University School of Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic with a total of 128 patients. The study group consisted of 64 postmenopausal patients admitted with uterine bleeding, whereas the control group consisted of 64 healthy postmenopausal women. Vaginal sonography was performed to evaluate the endometrial thicknesses of the patients. Serum levels of free testosterone, androstenedione and estrone (E1) were determined by radioimmunoassay while serum estradiol (E2), prolactin, and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) levels were evaluated by chemiluminescent method. Results The median age, duration of menopause, menopausal age and gravidity, and parity did not differ between women with postmenopausal bleeding and the control group (P > 0.05). However, DHEA-S level was lower (P < 0.05) and endometrial thickness was greater in the study group than the control group (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the study identified that median endometrial thickness of the patients in atrophic endometrium group was less than the endometrial hyperplasia and endometrium carcinoma group (P < 0.05). Conclusion In the current study, all these hormones seemed to be indifferent between groups of endometrial cancer and other pathological results. Based on our results regarding the safe margin of endometrial thickness in women with postmenopausal bleeding, it seems justifiable to refrain from curettage in patients with an endometrium of ≤4 mm.     

己酸孕酮、三苯氧胺及氨基导眠能对子宫内膜癌作用的研究

将子宫内膜癌７４例，分为７组单独或联合应用己酸孕酮，三苯氧胺和氨基导眠能治疗，光镜观察用药前后子宫内膜癌的形态学改变。结果：上述药物均能不同程度地抑制癌细胞生长，促其向成熟转化或发生退变，其中以三苯氧胺的作用尤为明显。癌细胞对上述药物的反应程度与癌分型、核分级有关，腺鳞癌、透明细胞癌和浆液乳头型腺癌反应不明显，而内膜型腺癌反应明显，两者的反应率有高度显著性差异（Ｘ２＝２０．８６Ｐ＜０．０１），粘液型腺癌反应介于两者之间。癌对药物反应程度随核分级增加而下降。     

Diagnostic strategies for endometrial cancer in women with postmenopausal bleeding: cost-effectiveness of individualized strategies

Objective

To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of diagnostic strategies incorporating the diagnostic value of patient characteristics for endometrial carcinoma using prediction models.

Study design

A decision analytic model was created to compare four diagnostic strategies for women with postmenopausal bleeding: the main outcome measures were 5 year survival, costs, and cost-effectiveness of three model based strategies compared to the strategy reflecting current practice.

Results

A strategy selecting women for endometrial biopsy based on their history only, dominated all other strategies (more effective, less cost). In a clinical scenario where transvaginal sonography (TVS) was assumed to be an integral part of the consultation without additional costs, a strategy selecting high-risk women for TVS became the most cost-effective strategy.

Conclusions

Strategies taking into account the individual probability based on a prognostic model are less costly than the currently applied strategy for a similar effectiveness. The most cost-effective strategy depends on the clinical setting: in areas where TVS is performed by the consulting gynecologist without extra costs, selective TVS based on history is the most cost-effective strategy. When TVS is not readily available and therefore incurs extra costs, a risk selection based on patient characteristics is most cost-effective.     

绝经后妇女子宫内膜癌筛查方法445例分析

目的 探讨绝经后妇女中进行子宫内膜癌筛查的适宜方法和策略。方法 2010年7月至2011年3月在北京大学第一医院、北京肿瘤医院和北京大兴区人民医院接受子宫内膜液基细胞学检查的绝经后妇女共445例,以分段诊刮、组织病理学为标准,评价子宫内膜细胞学（endometrial cytological test, ECT）与经阴道超声（transvaginal ultrasound, TVS）诊断子宫内膜癌或癌前病变的准确性。结果 子宫内膜细胞学取材满意度高于诊刮 （χ2=3.722, P<0.001)。单独ECT阳性、单独TVS阳性、ECT和TVS阳性、ECT或TVS阳性诊断子宫内膜癌或癌前病变的敏感度分别为85.7%, 83.9%, 67.8%, 96.4%, 特异度分别为 84.5%, 20.6%, 88.6%, 21.7%, 阳性预测值分别为 64.0%, 25.3%, 65.5%, 28.2%, 阴性预测值分别为 94.8%, 80.0%, 89.6%, 95.0%, 诊断准确性分别为 84.8%, 35.9%, 83.5%, 39.8%。结论 ECT联合TVS是绝经后妇女进行子宫内膜癌筛查的适宜方法。     

Three-year follow-up results of polypectomy with endometrial ablation in the management of endometrial polyps associated with tamoxifen in Chinese women

Objective

The aim of this study was to investigate the role of hysteroscopic polypectomy with endometrial ablation in the management of tamoxifen-associated endometrial polyps in postmenopausal women with a more than 3-year follow-up period.

Study design

The medical records of 76 postmenopausal patients on tamoxifen who were performed hysteroscopic polypectomy with endometrial ablation were evaluated more than 3 years after the procedure with recurrence of polyps, recurrent abnormal uterine bleeding and surgical re-intervention.

Results

Average follow-up period was 74.91 ± 20.84 months. No patient underwent hysterectomy, 7 of 76 patients had a surgical re-intervention representing a total of 90.8% avoidance of additional surgery during the follow-up period, and 4 patients had a recurrent endometrial polyp representing the recurrence rate was 5.3%. 3 of 41 patients with postmenopausal bleeding had a recurrent abnormal uterine bleeding representing symptomatic relief rate is 92.7%. The treatment failed in 7 patients who requested surgical re-intervention: 4 patients requested a repeat polypectomy and ablation, 1 patient requested a repeat ablation and 2 patients requested a repeat hysteroscopy with uterine adhesion. No malignant endometrial pathological result was found.

Conclusions

For postmenopausal patients suffering from endometrial polyps associated with tamoxifen, hysteroscopic polypectomy with endometrial ablation continues to be proven as a safe and effective minimally invasive treatment method. The high rate of surgical re-intervention avoidance, great symptomatic relief and low recurrence rate are very encouraging for this technology.     

Concurrent endometrial carcinoma following hysterectomy for atypical endometrial hyperplasia

Objective

To evaluate the prevalence of concurrent endometrial carcinoma in women diagnosed with atypical endometrial hyperplasia (AEH) by endometrial biopsy.

Study design

We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 126 patients who underwent hysterectomies for AEH diagnosed by endometrial biopsy from 1999 to 2008. AEH was initially diagnosed by dilatation and curettage (98 cases) or endometrial biopsy with a Z-sampler (24 cases). The remaining four cases were diagnosed by hysteroscopic polypectomy. The results of the endometrial biopsies were graded on an ordinal scale and were compared with pathologic features obtained at the hysterectomy.

Results

In patients preoperatively diagnosed with AEH by biopsy, hysterectomy specimens revealed a rate of simple or complex endometrial hyperplasia without atypia of 27% with AEH and normal proliferative phases found in 54.7 and 7.9% of specimens, respectively. The incidence of endometrial carcinoma was considerably high (13/126, 10.3%). Eleven of 13 cases were confined to the endometrium and the remaining two were located at the adenomyosis without myometrial invasion. All patients with endometrial carcinoma displayed coexisting atypical complex hyperplasia following hysterectomy.

Conclusions

Biopsy specimens showing AEH, particularly atypical complex hyperplasia, are associated with a risk of coexisting endometrial carcinoma. When considering management strategies for women with a biopsy diagnosis of AEH, clinicians should take into account the considerable rate of concurrent endometrial cancer and the discrepancy with pathologic diagnosis. Treatment modalities may differ depending on population as the rates of concurrent endometrial cancer with AEH and myometrial invasion vary by geographical location.     

Risk factors associated with endometrial polyps in abnormal uterine bleeding.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the significance of various risk factors associated with endometrial polyps in women with abnormal uterine bleeding. METHODS: A prospective cohort study of 248 consecutive patients evaluated for abnormal uterine bleeding in a Rapid Access Ambulatory Diagnostic (RAAD) clinic was carried out from 1996 to 1997. Endometrial polyps were diagnosed using outpatient hysteroscopy and their histological nature was confirmed in all patients by performing inpatient polypectomy. Multivariate logistic regression modeling was used to evaluate the effects of age, parity, menopausal status, hormone replacement therapy and tamoxifen treatment on the occurrence of polyps. RESULTS: In an analysis adjusted for the effects of age, parity and menopausal status, tamoxifen treatment was associated with endometrial polyps (adjusted odds ratio 11.21, 95% confidence interval 2.70-46.46, P=0.0009) but hormone replacement therapy was not (adjusted odds ratio 1.48, 95% confidence interval 0.68-3.20, P=0.32). CONCLUSION: Our study confirmed that tamoxifen is associated with endometrial polyps. However, it rejects the hypothesis that hormone replacement therapy is a risk factor for endometrial polyps.