TCGA Classification of Endometrial Cancer: the Place of Carcinosarcoma

Uterine carcinosarcomas: A case series of 9 cases from a low-income country

RATIONALE

Uterine carcinosarcomas (UCS) are rare aggressive biphasic tumors classified as a subtype of high-grade uterine carcinomas. However, these tumors have particular histopathological features and clinical behavior with worse prognosis than high-grade uterine carcinomas.

PATIENT CONCERNS

The incidence of UCS is increasing and more studies are required to elucidate their clinical and histopathological characteristics. Herein, we report clinicopathological features of 9 cases of UCS in a low-income country.

DIAGNOSES

We retrospectively collected all cases of UCS at our Pathology Department over a period of 4 years. The diagnosis was performed on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded and hematoxylin and eosin-stained surgical specimens.

INTERVENTIONS

Nine surgically treated cases of UCS have been registered, representing 12.67% of all uterine malignancies with a mean age of 58.88 years (range: 50-65 years). Abdominal pain and metrorrhagia were the main clinical presentations. The epithelial component of UCS was often a serous carcinoma (66.66%) and patients presented with large tumors (mean size of 9.24 cm, range of 5-19 cm), with advanced FIGO stages (stages III-IV) in 5/9 patients (55.55%).

OUTCOMES

Follow-up data were available in 5/9 patients among which only 2 were alive 2 and 25 months after the surgical treatment (overall survival of 40%).

LESSONS

UCS are rare and aggressive uterine tumors with very poor prognosis especially in low-income countries.

New clinicopathological concept of endometrial carcinoma with integration of histological features and molecular profiles

The dual-stratified pathway of endometrial carcinomas (ECs) has long been dominant. However, in 2013, The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) defined four EC subgroups with distinctive prognoses. Inspired by TCGA, in 2018, the Proactive Molecular Risk Classifier for Endometrial Cancer (ProMisE) provided four pragmatic molecular classifiers to apply surrogate immunohistochemical markers to TCGA subgroup categorization. These trends prompted the revision of 2020 WHO Classification of Female Genital Tumors, 5th edition (2020 WHO classification), in which four molecular subtypes are recognized: POLE-ultramutated; mismatch repair-deficient; p53-mutant; and no specific molecular profile. In the 2020 WHO classification, the diagnostic algorithm is characterized by prioritizing POLEmut over other molecular abnormalities. Following the 2020 WHO classification, Federation of International Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) proposed a new staging system in 2023. The updated system focuses on diagnostic parameters, such as histological type and grade, lymphovascular space invasion, and molecular alterations. These new histomolecular diagnostic concepts of ECs are being accordingly introduced into the routine pathology practice. For the first time, the 2020 WHO classification includes mesonephric-like adenocarcinoma (MLA) as a novel histological entity, mimicking the conventional mesonephric adenocarcinoma, but is considered of Müllerian ductal origin.

Beyond the WHO 2020 Classification of Female Genital Tumors: Types of Endometrial Cancer: A Pathological and Molecular Focus on Challenging Rare Variants

Endometrial carcinoma is a heterogeneous group of malignancies characterized by distinct histopathological features and genetic underpinnings. The 2020 WHO classification has provided a comprehensive framework for the categorization of endometrial carcinoma. However, it has not fully addressed the spectrum of uncommon entities that are currently not recognized by the 2020 WHO and have only been described in the form of small case series and case reports. These neoplasms represent a real diagnostic challenge for pathologists; furthermore, their therapeutic management still remains controversial and information regarding tumor prognosis is very limited. This review aims to elucidate these lesser-known variants of endometrial carcinoma. We discuss the challenges of identifying these rare subtypes and the molecular alterations associated with them. Furthermore, we propose the need for expanded classification systems that include these variants to enhance clinical outcomes and research efforts. We believe that a better histological typing characterization of these entities may lead to more reproducible and accurate diagnoses and more personalized treatments. By raising awareness of these rare entities, we also hope to encourage further investigation and integration into clinical practice to improve patient care in endometrial carcinoma.

[Endometrial carcinoma: molecular classification in routine pathology]

The molecular classification of endometrial carcinoma defines four main groups: polymerase‑ɛ(PolE) gene mutated, microsatellite unstable (MSI), p53 abnormal tumors and tumors with no specific molecular profile (NSMP). This classification provides significant insights into the prognosis and therapeutic decisions. Each group exhibits unique genetic profiles identified through immunohistochemistry and molecular diagnostics, enabling personalized treatment. The identification of these molecular signatures necessitates precise analytical methods, selected based on the local circumstances at each site. The approach to molecular classification highlights the critical role of pathology in the diagnosis and emphasizes the necessity of collaboration between the clinic and pathology.

Clinicopathological characteristics of endometrial carcinoma with different molecular subtypes and their correlation with lymph node metastasis

Endometrial carcinoma (EC) is one of the three major malignancies of the female reproductive organs. With intense research of tumor molecular mechanisms and development of precision medicine in recent years, the traditional pathomorphological classification fails to meet the needs of clinical diagnosis and treatment for EC. This study aims to analyze the correlation of different Proactive Molecular Risk Classifier for Endometrial Cancer molecular subtypes with lymph node metastasis (LNM) and other clinical features in EC. 120 treatment-naive EC patients with surgery were enrolled in this study. The molecular subtypes of these patients were classified as follows by Proactive Molecular Risk Classifier for Endometrial Cancer (ProMisE) molecular subtyping: mismatch repair deficiency (MMRd) in 22 cases (18.33%), polymerase epsilon exonuclease domain mutation (POLE EDM) in 2 cases (1.67%), p53 wild-type (p53-wt) in 64 cases (53.33%), and p53 abnormal (p53-abn) in 32 cases (26.67%). The clinicopathological features of 120 patients were retrospectively analyzed. Statistical significance was identified among the four molecular subtypes in terms of histological classification, International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) staging, pathological grading, and LNM. Among the enrolled cases, 26 had LNM and 94 had no lymph node involvement. According to the multivariate Logistic regression analysis, p53 wt (P=0.008, OR=0.078, 95% CI: 0.012-0.510) was a protective factor for LNM in EC patients, while poorly differentiated histology (P=0.001, OR=15.137, 95% CI: 3.013-76.044) was a risk factor. ProMisE classification system, being more objective and reproducible, can provide an important reference for preoperative decision-making. The patients with p53 wt by ProMisE had a low risk of LNM in preoperative diagnostic curettage specimens, while there was a higher risk of LNM among the patients with poorly differentiated EC.

An uncommon case of POLE mutated uterine carcinosarcoma - complemented by a review of literature

Carcinosarcomas are high-grade endometrial cancers which enclose mesenchymal and epithelial differentiated components. The vast majority of these cancers belong to the p53 abnormal molecular subgroup and usually come with an unfavorable prognosis. POLE mutant carcinosarcomas are a rarity and only make up about 5% of this histologic subtype. Recent literature even suggests that this number is still an overestimation and the result of misclassification of undifferentiated or dedifferentiated endometrial cancers. Here we present a case of a 56-years old patient diagnosed with carcinosarcoma of the uterus. Hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy with pelvic lymph node staging was performed and complete molecular workup of the tumor revealed an abnormal p53 expression as well as a pathologic POLE mutation. NGS was performed separately on the epithelial and mesenchymal component of this high-grade cancer and both components shared two identical POLE mutations, a known pathologic mutation, and a variant of unknown significance (VUS). This finding hints to a clonal origin of both histologic components of this tumor and supports conversion theory as mechanism of carcinosarcoma emergence. The cancer was correctly staged as FIGO 2023 Stage IAmPOLEmut and according to ESGO-ESTRO-ESP guidelines adjuvant chemotherapy no longer considered and our patient entered follow-up after a detailed discussion.

MITO END-3: efficacy of avelumab immunotherapy according to molecular profiling in first-line endometrial cancer therapy

BACKGROUND

Immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy significantly improves progression-free survival (PFS) compared to first-line chemotherapy alone in advanced endometrial cancer (EC), with a much larger effect size in microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) cases. New biomarkers might help to select patients who may have benefit among those with a microsatellite-stable (MSS) tumor.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In a pre-planned translational analysis of the MITO END-3 trial, we assessed the significance of genomic abnormalities in patients randomized to standard carboplatin/paclitaxel without or with avelumab.

RESULTS

Out of 125 randomized patients, 109 had samples eligible for next-generation sequencing analysis, and 102 had MSI tested. According to The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), there were 29 cases with MSI-H, 26 with MSS TP53 wild type (wt), 47 with MSS TP53 mutated (mut), and 1 case with POLE mutation. Four mutated genes were present in >30% of cases: TP53, PIK3CA, ARID1A, and PTEN. Eleven patients (10%) had a BRCA1/2 mutation (five in MSI-H and six in MSS). High tumor mutational burden (≥10 muts/Mb) was observed in all MSI-H patients, in 4 out of 47 MSS/TP53 mut, and no case in the MSS/TP53 wt category. The effect of avelumab on PFS significantly varied according to TCGA categories, being favorable in MSI-H and worst in MSS/TP53 mut (P interaction = 0.003); a similar non-significant trend was seen in survival analysis. ARID1A and PTEN also showed a statistically significant interaction with treatment effect, which was better in the presence of the mutation (ARID1A P interaction = 0.01; PTEN P interaction = 0.002).

CONCLUSION

The MITO END-3 trial results suggest that TP53 mutation is associated with a poor effect of avelumab, while mutations of PTEN and ARID1A are related to a positive effect of the drug in patients with advanced EC.

Landscape of Endometrial Cancer: Molecular Mechanisms, Biomarkers, and Target Therapy

Endometrial cancer is one the most prevalent gynecological cancers and, unfortunately, has a poor prognosis due to low response rates to traditional treatments. However, the progress in molecular biology and understanding the genetic mechanisms involved in tumor processes offers valuable information that has led to the current classification that describes four molecular subtypes of endometrial cancer. This review focuses on the molecular mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of endometrial cancers, such as genetic mutations, defects in the DNA mismatch repair pathway, epigenetic changes, or dysregulation in angiogenic or hormonal signaling pathways. The preclinical genomic and molecular investigations presented allowed for the identification of some molecules that could be used as biomarkers to diagnose, predict, and monitor the progression of endometrial cancer. Besides the therapies known in clinical practice, targeted therapy is described as a new cancer treatment that involves identifying specific molecular targets in tumor cells. By selectively inhibiting these targets, key signaling pathways involved in cancer progression can be disrupted while normal cells are protected. The connection between molecular biomarkers and targeted therapy is vital in the fight against cancer. Ongoing research and clinical trials are exploring the use of standard therapy agents in combination with other treatment strategies like immunotherapy and anti-angiogenesis therapy to improve outcomes and personalize treatment for patients with endometrial cancer. This approach has the potential to transform the management of cancer patients. In conclusion, enhancing molecular tools is essential for stratifying the risk and guiding surgery, adjuvant therapy, and cancer treatment for women with endometrial cancer. In addition, the information from this review may have an essential value in the personalized therapy approach for endometrial cancer to improve the patient's life.

Molecular characteristics of tubo-ovarian carcinosarcoma at different anatomic locations

Carcinosarcoma (CS) is an uncommon and clinically aggressive malignancy. The objective of the present study was to characterize the molecular features of CS at various anatomic locations, including serous effusions. Specimens (n = 32) consisted of 25 biopsies/surgical resection specimens and 7 serous effusions (6 peritoneal, 1 pleural) from 25 patients. Fresh-frozen cell pellets and surgical specimens underwent targeted next-generation sequencing covering 50 unique genes. A total of 31 mutations were found in 25 of the 32 tumors studied, of which 1 had 3 mutations, 4 had 2 different mutations, and 20 had a single mutation. The most common mutations were in TP53 (n = 25 in 24 tumors; 1 tumor with 2 different mutations), with less common mutations found in RB1 (n = 2), MET (n = 1), KRAS (n = 1), PTEN (n = 1), and KIT (n = 1). Patient-matched specimens harbored the same TP53 mutation. Tumors with no detected mutations were more common in serous effusion specimens (3/7; 43%) compared with surgical specimens (4/25; 16%). In conclusion, the molecular landscape of CS is dominated by TP53 mutations, reinforcing the observation that the majority of these tumors develop from high-grade serous carcinoma. Whether CS cells in serous effusions differ from their counterparts in solid lesions remains uncertain.

POLE -related gene signature predicts prognosis, immune feature, and drug therapy in human endometrioid carcinoma

The POLE subtype of Endometrial carcinoma (EC) is linked to a favourable prognosis in the molecular classification. We proposed to ascertain the potential connection between the POLE subtype and improved prognosis. In order to forecast the prognosis, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression analysis and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) were employed, and a POLE-related risk signature (PRS) model was developed and validated. Single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) with the "GSVA" package was employed to analyse immunity characteristics. Drug susceptibility studies were conducted to compare the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of medicines between high- and low-risk groups. The PRS model was generated employing the LASSO Cox regression coefficients of the ELF1, MMADHC, andAL021707.6 genes. Our study demonstrated that the risk score was linked to tumour stage, grade, and survival. Furthermore, the low-risk group possessed elevated levels of gene expression connected with immunological checkpoints and HLA. Our outcomes emerged that the PRS model might have value in identifying patients with a good prognosis and in facilitating personalised treatment in the clinic.

A single-institution retrospective exploratory analysis on the effectiveness and safety of lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab for advanced endometrial cancer: insights from ProMisE molecular classification system

BACKGROUND

The Proactive Molecular Risk Classifier for Endometrial Cancer has identified four risk groups for the prognosis of endometrial cancer. Lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab was recently approved as a second-line treatment for unresectable endometrial cancer, but reports in clinical practice are lacking. The relationship between the efficacy of lenvatinib/pembrolizumab and Proactive Molecular Risk Classifier for Endometrial Cancer classification is unclear.

METHODS

This single-centre retrospective study included patients who underwent lenvatinib/pembrolizumab therapy at Iwate Medical University Hospital between January 2022 and March 2023. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded specimens obtained from patients before treatment were collected and classified into the mismatch repair-deficient, p53 abnormal and no specific molecular profile subtypes using immunohistochemistry. The response rate, progression-free survival and adverse events were evaluated using electronic medical records. The study was approved by the hospital's ethics committee (approval number: MH2022-093).

RESULTS

This study enrolled 20 patients, who underwent a median follow-up of 17.8 months (95% confidence interval: 16.6-18.9). The best overall response rate was 60.0% (36.1-80.9), and the median progression-free survival was 11.6 months (2.9-20.3). The median progression-free survival in the p53 abnormal group (n = 9) was 3.4 months (3.0-3.8); however, progression-free survival did not reach the median (P < 0.001) in the mismatch repair-deficient/no specific molecular profile group (n = 11). Symptomatic immune-related adverse events (except hypothyroidism) occurred in 4/20 (25.0%) patients, and partial responses were observed in all cases. No treatment-related deaths occurred.

CONCLUSION

The p53abn group in the Proactive Molecular Risk Classifier for Endometrial Cancer classification has a poor prognosis even after treatment with lenvatinib/pembrolizumab.

Clinical significance of small nuclear ribonucleoprotein U1 subunit 70 in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

Background & Aims

Small nuclear ribonucleoprotein U1 subunit 70 (SNRNP70) as one of the components of the U1 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (snRNP) is rarely reported in cancers. This study aims to estimate the application potential of SNRNP70 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) clinical practice.

Methods

Based on the TCGA database and cohort of HCC patients, we investigated the expression patterns and prognostic value of SNRNP70 in HCC. Then, the combination of SNRNP70 and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) in 278 HCC cases was analyzed. Next, western blotting and immunohistochemistry were used to detect the expression of SNRNP70 in nucleus and cytoplasm. Finally, Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) and scratch wound healing assays were used to detect the effect of SNRNP70 on the proliferation and migration of HCC cells.

Results

SNRNP70 was highly expressed in HCC. Its expression was increasingly high during the progression of HCC and was positively related to immune infiltration cells. Higher SNRNP70 expression indicated a poor outcome of HCC patients. In addition, nuclear SNRNP70/AFP combination could be a prognostic biomarker for overall survival and recurrence. Cell experiments confirmed that knockdown of SNRNP70 inhibited the proliferation and migration of HCC cells.

Conclusion

SNRNP70 may be a new biomarker for HCC progression and HCC diagnosis as well as prognosis. SNRNP70 combined with serum AFP may indicate the prognosis and recurrence status of HCC patients after operation.

Mismatch Repair Deficiency as a Predictive and Prognostic Biomarker in Endometrial Cancer: A Review on Immunohistochemistry Staining Patterns and Clinical Implications

Among the four endometrial cancer (EC) TCGA molecular groups, the MSI/hypermutated group represents an important percentage of tumors (30%), including different histotypes, and generally confers an intermediate prognosis for affected women, also providing new immunotherapeutic strategies. Immunohistochemistry for MMR proteins (MLH1, MSH2, MSH6 and PMS2) has become the optimal diagnostic MSI surrogate worldwide. This review aims to provide state-of-the-art knowledge on MMR deficiency/MSI in EC and to clarify the pathological assessment, interpretation pitfalls and reporting of MMR status.

Mesonephric-like Adenocarcinoma of the Uterine Corpus: Genomic and Immunohistochemical Profiling with Comprehensive Clinicopathological Analysis of 17 Consecutive Cases from a Single Institution

Data on genetic and immunophenotypical characteristics of uterine mesonephric-like adenocarcinoma (MLA) remain limited. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the clinicopathological, immunohistochemical, and molecular features of uterine MLA. We performed targeted sequencing, array comparative genomic hybridization, and immunostaining in 17, 13, and 17 uterine MLA cases, respectively. Nine patients developed lung metastases. Eleven patients experienced disease recurrences. The most frequently mutated gene was Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS; 13/17). Both the primary and matched metastatic tumors harbored identical KRAS (3/4) and phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (1/4) mutations, and did not harbor any additional mutations. A total of 2 of the 17 cases harbored tumor protein 53 (TP53) frameshift insertion and deletion, respectively. Chromosomal gains were detected in 1q (13/13), 10 (13/13), 20 (10/13), 2 (9/13), and 12 (6/13). Programmed cell death-ligand 1 overexpression or mismatch repair deficiency was not observed in any of the cases. Initial serosal extension and lung metastasis independently predicted recurrence-free survival with hazard ratios of 6.30 and 7.31, respectively. Our observations consolidated the clinicopathological and molecular characteristics of uterine MLA. Both clinicians and pathologists should consider these features to make an accurate diagnosis of uterine MLA and to ensure appropriate therapeutic management of this rare entity.

Effect of adenomyosis on prognosis of patients with endometrial cancer

OBJECTIVE

Our goal was to contrast the prognoses of patients with endometrial cancer who had adenomyosis against those that did not.

METHODS

All patients who had received surgical staging for hysterectomy-based endometrial cancer had their medical data retrospectively examined. The analysis covered 397 patients, who were split into two groups depending on the presence of adenomyosis. Comparisons were made between patients covering type of surgery, histopathology, endometrial cancer stage, lymphovascular space invasion, presence of biochemical or histochemical markers, adjuvant therapy, presence of adenomyosis in the myometrial wall, and outcomes in terms of overall survival and disease-free survival.

RESULTS

There is no statistically significant difference in the 5-year disease-free survival or overall survival rates between endometrial cancer patients with and without adenomyosis. This is based on comparisons of tumor stage, tumor diameter, histological type and grade of tumor, myometrial invasion, lymphovascular space invasion, and biochemical markers that affect the course of the disease. The median follow-up times were 61 months for the adenomyosis-positive group and 56 months for the group without adenomyosis.

CONCLUSION

Coexisting adenomyosis in endometrial cancer has no bearing on survival rates and is not a prognostic factor.

Programmed Death Ligand 1 (PD-L1) Expression and CD8 + Tumor-infiltrating Lymphocyte-based Tumor Immune Microenvironment Classification in Gynecologic Carcinosarcoma: Prognostic Impact and Implications for Therapy

To investigate the prevalence and prognostic significance of programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) expression and CD8 + tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in gynecologic carcinosarcoma, 81 cases (68 uterine, 12 ovarian, and 1 fallopian tube) were immunostained with PD-L1 and CD8 using tissue microarrays (3 mm core diameter) from intratumoral areas with the highest TILs. Tumor proportion score (TPS) ≥1% and combined positive score (CPS) ≥1 were considered positive for PD-L1. CD8 + TILs were counted in each core, and CD8 + TIL density (CD8TILD) was calculated. Cases were classified as CD8 Neg (<1.4/mm 2 CD8TILD), CD8 Pos (≥1.4/mm 2 CD8TILD) and CD8 HIGH (≥14/mm 2 CD8TILD) and grouped into 4 tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) groups: (1) PD-L-1 Pos /CD8 Pos , (2) PD-L1 Neg /CD8 Neg , (3) PD-L1 Pos /CD8 Neg , and (4) PD-L1 Neg /CD8 Pos . PD-L1 expression by TPS and CPS was detected in 19.8% and 39.6% cases, respectively. Kaplan-Meier curves with log-rank analysis showed that higher density of CD8 + TILs were associated with longer overall survival (OS) ( P =0.05 for CD8 Pos and P =0.014 for CD8 HIGH ), and CD8 HIGH status was associated with longer OS irrespective of tumor stage ( P =0.045, hazard ratio: 0.11, 95% confidence interval: 0.014-0.951). Thirty-three percent of patients belonged to TIME group 1. PD-L1 expression and TIME groups were not associated with OS or progression-free survival. We found that high density of CD8 + TILs is an independent indicator of better OS. In 33% cases PD-L1 expression is associated with increased CD8 + TILs ("acquired immune evasion" pattern of PD-L1 expression), hence they may benefit from anti PD-1/PD-L1 therapy. PD-L1 expression alone and TIME groups do not affect survival in gynecologic carcinosarcoma.

The expression of programmed death-ligand 1 and programmed death-ligand 2 in endometrial carcinosarcoma: Correlation with mismatch repair protein expression status, tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte infiltration, and clinical outcomes

BACKGROUND

Endometrial carcinosarcomas have high malignant potential with a high recurrence rate and poor prognosis. Immunotherapy may be a promising treatment option. The aim of this study is to evaluate the expression of PD-L1/PD-L2 and its relationship to mismatch repair (MMR) protein status and tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) density.

METHODS

We performed immunohistochemical analyses of PD-L1 (clone 22C3), PD-L2 (clone TY25), MSH-2, MSH-6, PMS-2, and MLH-1 in 77 tumors. We count TILs using CD8 antibody. Clinicopathologic features were recorded and statistically correlated with immunohistochemical results. Kaplan-Meier analyses were used to analyze the prognosis.

RESULTS

While PD-L1 positivity was seen more commonly in MMR protein deficient tumors (p = 0.010), PD-L2 positivity was seen more commonly in MMR protein proficient tumors (p = 0.003). PD-L1 positivity was also found to be more common in carcinosarcoma with high TIL infiltration. PD-L2 positivity was associated with decreased overall survival (OS) rates (p = 0.043, p = 0.043, respectively), whereas the PD-L1 positivity and TIL density were not significantly associated with OS rate. The OS rate of patients with MMR protein proficient tumors was significantly lower compared with those with MMR protein deficient tumors (p = 0.042). The lower TILs infiltration was associated with a shorter disease-free survival (DFS) rate. PD-L1 and PD-L2 positivity did not affect the DFS rate.

CONCLUSIONS

PD-L1/PD-L2 might be a better target for immunotherapy in endometrial carcinosarcoma. PD-L2 positivity was also associated with a worse clinical outcome in patients with endometrial carcinosarcoma, suggesting that PD-L2 status can be used to predict clinical behavior. Further studies are needed to elucidate the relationship between PD-L1/PD-L2 expression and therapeutic response.

Potential biomarkers in endometrial cancer: a narrative review

CONTEXT

Every year, approximately 0.4 million women suffer from endometrial cancer (EC) worldwide and it has become the most common gynecological malignancy. Almost 66% of EC cases are diagnosed at an early stage and can be cured by performing surgery while those at an advanced stage turns out to be fatal. Biomarkers of endometrial cancer would be very valuable for screening of women who are at high risk and in detecting the chance of recurrence of disease.

OBJECTIVE

The current article has reviewed studies published on expression of biomarkers and susceptibility to EC.

METHODS

Google Scholar and PubMed were used as searching platforms and we have majorly considered the literature from last 10 years.

RESULTS

Potential biomarkers of EC identified from various studies were summarised.

Incorporating Molecular Classification When Stratifying the Survival Risk of Patients with High-Grade Endometrial Carcinomas

Assessing survival risk in patients with high-grade endometrial carcinomas has remained challenging. We aimed to investigate the distribution of molecular subtypes and assess their prognostic role in a large cohort of 355 patients with high-grade endometrial carcinoma. Molecular classification was determined using DNA polymerase epsilon (POLE) sequencing as well as immunohistochemical staining for p53 and mismatch repair (MMR) proteins. Endometrial carcinomas were stratified into four subtypes: POLE ultramutated, MMR-deficient, non-specific molecular profile (NSMP), and p53-mutant. This study included 177 and 178 patients with endometrioid and non-endometrioid carcinomas, respectively. Forty-two patients (11.8%) were categorized as POLE ultramutated, 106 (29.9%) as MMR-deficient, 128 (36.1%) as p53-mutant, and 79 (22.2%) as NSMP. Patients of different molecular subtypes had distinct survival times; molecular classification, but not histotype, was significantly associated with survival outcomes. When incorporating molecular classification into the stratification model, 52 patients (15.5%) switched risk groups, with 40 (11.9%) shifting to a lower risk for having a POLE mutation and 12 (3.6%) shifting to a higher risk owing to p53-mutant status. Molecular classification may provide more accurate prognostic information among patients with high-grade endometrial carcinomas and improve their stratification for purposes of clinical management.

The clinicopathological characteristics of POLE-mutated/ultramutated endometrial carcinoma and prognostic value of POLE status: a meta-analysis based on 49 articles incorporating 12,120 patients

Objective

This study was designed to investigate the frequency and clinicopathological characteristics of POLE-mutated/ultramutated (POLEmut) in endometrial carcinoma (EC) and assess the prognostic values of POLE status.

Methods

Electronic databases were screened to identify relevant studies. Meta-analysis was used to yield the pooled frequency of POLEmut and prognostic parameters by 95% confidence interval (CI), odd ratio (OR), and hazard ratio (HR).

Results

Totally, 12,120 EC patients from 49 studies were included. The pooled frequency of POLEmut was 7.95% (95% CI: 6.52–9.51%) in EC, 7.95% (95% CI: 6.55–9.46%) in endometrioid endometrial carcinoma, and 4.45% (95% CI: 2.63–6.61%) in nonendometrioid endometrial carcinoma. A higher expression occurred in grade 3 (OR = 0.51, 95% CI: 0.36–0.73, P = 0.0002), FIGO stage I-II (OR = 1.91, 95% CI: 1.29–2.83, P = 0.0013), and myometrial invasion< 50% (OR = 0.66, 95% CI: 0.50–0.86, P = 0.0025). Survival analyses revealed favorable OS (HR = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.55–0.85, P = 0.0008), PFS (HR = 0.74, 95% CI: 0.59–0.93, P = 0.0085), DSS (HR = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.44–0.83, P = 0.0016), and RFS (HR = 0.47, 95% CI: 0.35–0.61, P <  0.0001) for POLEmut ECs. Additionally, the clinical outcomes of POLEmut group were the best, but those of p53-abnormal/mutated (p53abn) group were the worst, while those of microsatellite-instable (MSI)/hypermutated group and p53-wild-type (p53wt) group were medium.

Conclusions

The POLEmut emergered higher expression in ECs with grade 3, FIGO stage I-II, and myometrial invasion< 50%; it might serve as a highly favorable prognostic marker in EC; the clinical outcomes of POLEmut group were the best one among the four molecular subtypes.

Data Set for the Reporting of Endometrial Cancer: Recommendations From the International Collaboration on Cancer Reporting (ICCR)

Endometrial cancer is one of the most common cancers among women. The International Collaboration on Cancer Reporting (ICCR) developed a standardized endometrial cancer data set in 2011, which provided detailed recommendations for the reporting of resection specimens of these neoplasms. A new data set has been developed, which incorporates the updated 2020 World Health Organization Classification of Female Genital Tumors, the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) molecular classification of endometrial cancers, and other major advances in endometrial cancer reporting, all of which necessitated a major revision of the data set. This updated data set has been produced by a panel of expert pathologists and an expert clinician and has been subject to international open consultation. The data set includes core elements which are unanimously agreed upon as essential for cancer diagnosis, clinical management, staging, or prognosis and noncore elements which are clinically important, but not essential. Explanatory notes are provided for each element. Adoption of this updated data set will result in improvements in endometrial cancer patient care.

Management and Prognosis of Patients with Recurrent or Persistent/Progressive Uterine Carcinosarcoma

Uterine carcinosarcoma (UCS) is a highly aggressive gynecologic malignancy. Recurrent or persistent/progressive disease is usually fatal. We aimed to investigate the management and prognosis of these patients. Clinical records of UCS patients from June 1987 to April 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. The stage was re-assigned with the FIGO 2009 staging system. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify the independent predictors of survival after recurrence (SAR) and cancer-specific survival (CSS). Of the 168 patients, 98 experienced treatment failure. The median time to treatment failure (TTF) was 8.1 months (range: 0.0-89.1). The median follow-up time of censored patients was 32.0 months (range: 16.8-170.7). The 5-year SAR rates of those with recurrent or persistent/progressive disease were 7.6%. On multivariate analysis, salvage therapy mainly using radiotherapy (HR 0.27, 95% CI: 0.10-0.71) or chemotherapy (HR 0.41, 95% CI: 0.24-0.72) or chemoradiotherapy (CRT) (HR 0.33, 95% CI: 0.15-0.75) were associated with improved SAR, whereas disseminated recurrence was associated with significantly worse SAR (HR 3.94, 95% CI: 1.67-9.31, p = 0.002). Salvage therapy using radiotherapy or chemotherapy or CRT significantly improved SAR. Surgery significantly improved CSS but not SAR, adjusting for confounding factors.

TCGA Molecular Prognostic Groups of Endometrial Carcinoma: Current Knowledge and Future Perspectives

The four TCGA-based molecular prognostic groups of endometrial carcinoma (EC), i.e., POLE-mutant, mismatch repair (MMR)-deficient, p53-abnormal, and “no specific molecular profile” (NSMP), have recently been integrated into ESGO-ESTRO-ESP guidelines. The POLE-mutant and MMR-deficient groups are associated with high mutational load, morphological heterogeneity, and inflammatory infiltration. These groups are frequent in high-grade endometrioid, undifferentiated/dedifferentiated, and mixed histotypes. POLE-mutant ECs show good prognosis and do not require adjuvant treatment, although the management of cases at stage >II is still undefined. MMR-deficient ECs show intermediate prognosis and are currently substratified based on clinicopathological variables, some of which might not have prognostic value. These groups may benefit from immunotherapy. P53-mutant ECs are typically high-grade and often morphologically ambiguous, accounting for virtually all serous ECs, most carcinosarcomas and mixed ECs, and half of clear-cell ECs. They show poor prognosis and are treated with chemoradiotherapy; a subset may benefit from HER2 inhibitors or PARP inhibitors. The NSMP group is the most frequent TCGA group; its prognosis is highly variable and affected by clinicopathological/molecular factors, most of which are still under evaluation. In conclusion, the TCGA classification has improved diagnosis, risk stratification, and management of EC. Further studies are needed to resolve the points of uncertainty that still exist.

The clinical characteristics and treatment of ovarian malignant mesoderm mixed tumor: a systematic review

Background

Ovarian malignant mesoderm mixed tumor (OMMMT) is a rare clinical entity. To provide reference for the treatment and prognosis of OMMMT, we analyzed the clinical features, pathology and molecular biology characteristic of published cases.

Methods

The English and Chinese reported cases of OMMMT were selected from PubMed, Clinical Trials.gov and CNKI database from 2000 to December 15th, 2021 following the PRISMA guidelines.

Results

A total of 63 literatures including 199 OMMMT cases were included. The average age of patients at diagnosis was 56.46 years, the highest incidence age was 60-65 years, and 82% of them were menopausal women. Most patients were diagnosed in FIGO III stage (59.64%). The most common symptom of OMMMT was abdominal pain (60.5%). 61.6% of patients were accompanied by ascites, while ascites was not associated with metastatic tumor and local recurrence. The CA125 of 88.68% patients increased. The most common reported carcinomatous component and sarcomatous component were serous adenocarcinoma (44.96%) and chondrosarcoma (24.81%), respectively. Initial treatment included surgery (94.97%) and taxanes-based (55.10%) or platinum-based (85.71%) chemotherapy regimens. The median survival time of patients was 20 months. Heterologous sarcoma component did not shorten life expectancy. The optimal ovarian tumor cell debulking surgery (OOTCDS), radiotherapy and chemotherapy could significantly prolong the median survival time of patients. Furthermore, platinum drugs could significantly prolong the survival time after comparing various chemotherapy schemes. Besides, the combination of platinum and taxanes was therapeutically superior to the combination of platinum and biological alkylating agents.

Conclusion

The OOTCDS and platinum-based chemotherapy regimen can improve the prognosis of OMMMT. Targeted therapy might become a new research direction in the future. Since the elderly patients are the majority, the toxicity of new drugs on the elderly patients is more noteworthy.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13048-022-01037-6.

Molecular Characterizations of Gynecologic Carcinosarcomas: A Focus on the Immune Microenvironment

Gynecologic carcinosarcomas, specifically of endometrial and ovarian origin, are aggressive and rare tumors. Treatment data are limited and are often extrapolated from other histologies and smaller retrospective studies. While the optimal therapy approach remains contentious, treatment is often multimodal and may include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, or a combination of multiple strategies. However, despite aggressive treatment, these tumors fare worse than carcinomas of the same anatomic sites irrespective of their stage. Recent studies have described in-depth molecular characterizations of gynecologic carcinosarcomas. Although many molecular features mirror those seen in other uterine and ovarian epithelial tumors, the high prevalence of epithelial-mesenchymal transition is more unique. Recently, molecular descriptions have expanded to begin to characterize the tumor immune microenvironment. While the importance of the immune microenvironment has been well-established for other tumor types, it has been less systematically explored in gynecologic carcinosarcomas. Furthermore, the use of immunotherapy in patients with gynecologic carcinosarcomas has not been extensively evaluated. In this review, we summarize the available data surrounding gynecologic carcinosarcomas, with a focus on the immune microenvironment. We end with a discussion of potential immunotherapy uses and future directions for the field.

High prevalence of unusual KRAS, NRAS, and BRAF mutations in POLE-hypermutated colorectal cancers

Exonucleasic domain POLE (edPOLE) mutations, which are responsible for a hypermutated tumor phenotype, occur in 1-2% of colorectal cancer (CRC) cases. These alterations represent an emerging biomarker for response to immune checkpoint blockade. This study aimed to assess the molecular characteristics of edPOLE-mutated tumors to facilitate patient screening. Based on opensource data analysis, we compared the prevalence of edPOLE mutations in a control group of unselected CRC patients (n = 222) vs a group enriched for unusual BRAF/RAS mutations (n = 198). Tumor mutational burden (TMB) and immune infiltrate of tumors harboring edPOLE mutations were then analyzed. In total, 420 CRC patients were analyzed: 11 edPOLE-mutated tumors were identified, most frequently in microsatellite (MMR)-proficient young (< 70 years) male patients, with left-sided tumors harboring noncodon 12 KRAS mutation. The prevalence of edPOLE-mutated tumors in the control vs the experimental screening group was, respectively, 0.45% (n = 1) vs 5.0% (n = 10). Among the 11 edPOLE-mutated cases, two had a low TMB, three were hypermutated, and six were ultramutated. EdPOLE-mutated cases had a high CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) infiltration. These clinicopathological and molecular criteria may help to identify edPOLE mutations associated with a high TMB in CRC, and improve the selection of patients who could benefit from immunotherapy.

Microsatellite Instability: From the Implementation of the Detection to a Prognostic and Predictive Role in Cancers

Microsatellite instability (MSI) has been identified in several tumors arising from either germline or somatic aberration. The presence of MSI in cancer predicts the sensitivity to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), particularly PD1/PD-L1 inhibitors. To date, the predictive role of MSI is currently used in the selection of colorectal cancer patients for immunotherapy; moreover, the expansion of clinical trials into other cancer types may elucidate the predictive value of MSI for non-colorectal tumors. In clinical practice, several assays are used for MSI testing, including immunohistochemistry (IHC), polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and next-generation sequencing (NGS). In this review, we provide an overview of MSI in various cancer types, highlighting its potential predictive/prognostic role and the clinical trials performed. Finally, we focus on the comparison data between the different assays used to detect MSI in clinical practice.

The IFN-γ-related long non-coding RNA signature predicts prognosis and indicates immune microenvironment infiltration in uterine corpus endometrial carcinoma

Background

One of the most common diseases that have a negative impact on women’s health is endometrial carcinoma (EC). Advanced endometrial cancer has a dismal prognosis and lacks solid prognostic indicators. IFN-γ is a key cytokine in the inflammatory response, and it has also been suggested that it has a role in the tumor microenvironment. The significance of IFN-γ-related genes and long non-coding RNAs in endometrial cancer, however, is unknown.

Methods

The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database was used to download RNA-seq data from endometrial cancer tissues and normal controls. Genes associated with IFN-γ were retrieved from the gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) website. Co-expression analysis was performed to find lncRNAs linked to IFN-γ gene. The researchers employed weighted co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) to find lncRNAs that were strongly linked to survival. The prognostic signature was created using univariate Cox regression and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression. The training cohort, validation cohort, and entire cohort of endometrial cancer patients were then split into high-risk and low-risk categories. To investigate variations across different risk groups, we used survival analysis, enrichment analysis, and immune microenvironment analysis. The platform for analysis is R software (version X64 3.6.1).

Results

Based on the transcript expression of IFN-γ-related lncRNAs, two distinct subgroups of EC from TCGA cohort were formed, each with different outcomes. Ten IFN-γ-related lncRNAs were used to build a predictive signature using Cox regression analysis and the LASSO regression, including CFAP58, LINC02014, UNQ6494, AC006369.1, NRAV, BMPR1B-DT, AC068134.2, AP002840.2, GS1-594A7.3, and OLMALINC. The high-risk group had a considerably worse outcome (p < 0.05). In the immunological microenvironment, there were also substantial disparities across different risk categories.

Conclusion

Our findings give a reference for endometrial cancer prognostic type and immunological status assessment, as well as prospective molecular markers for the disease.

Incentive Nursing can Effectively Improve the ESCA Level of Patients with Endometrial Cancer after Laparoscopic Hysterectomy

Objective

To investigate the effect of incentive nursing on the rehabilitation of patients with endometrial cancer after laparoscopic hysterectomy.

Methods

A total of 110 patients with endometrial cancer receiving laparoscopic hysterectomy in our hospital from October 2017 to July 2020 were recruited and assigned at a ratio of 1 : 1 to receive either routine nursing (control group) or incentive nursing plus routine care (study group). Outcome measures included the self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) score, Hamilton depression scale (HAMD) score, the exercise of self-care agency (ESCA) score, postoperative rehabilitation outcomes, the incidence of nursing complications, and nursing satisfaction.

Results

Patients receiving incentive nursing showed significantly lower SAS scores and HAMD scores, and a higher ESCA score versus patients given routine care alone (P < 0.05). Incentive care resulted in a shorter length of hospital stay and postoperative time of out-of-bed activities and exercises versus routine care (P < 0.05). Incentive care was associated with a significantly lower incidence of nursing complications and higher nursing satisfaction versus routine nursing (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Incentive nursing can effectively improve the ESCA level of patients, promote postoperative recovery, and reduce the incidence of complications, so it is worthy of clinical promotion.

Five EMT-related genes signature predicts overall survival and immune environment in microsatellite instability-high gastric cancer

BACKGROUND

Microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) subgroup of gastric cancer (GC) is characterized by a high tumor mutational burden, increased lymphocytic infiltration, and enhanced inflammatory cytokines. GC patients with MSI-H status have a good response to immune checkpoint blockade management. However, heterogeneity within the subtype and the underlying mechanisms of shaping tumor microenvironments remain poorly understood.

METHODS

RNA expression levels and clinical parameters of GC were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases. The data were analyzed using single-sample Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (ssGSEA), univariate Cox regression, multivariate Cox regression, and Least Absolute Shrinkage Selection Operator (LASSO) regression. In addition, multiplex immunohistochemistry (mIHC) was used in our clinical cohort for the tumor microenvironment study.

RESULTS

By ssGSEA and survival analysis, the EMT signaling pathway was identified as a representative pathway, which can stratify the patients with MSI-H GC with significant survival predictive power. Then, a novel representative EMT-related five-gene signature (namely CALU, PCOLCE2, PLOD2, SGCD, and THBS2) was established from EMT signaling gene set, which sensitivity and specificity were further validated in the independent GEO database (GSE62254) cohort for disease outcome prediction. Based on public single-cell data and in situ immunohistochemistry, we found that most of these five genes were abundantly expressed in cancer-associated fibroblasts. Furthermore, patients with high or low risk divided by this five-gene signature exhibited a strong correlation of the distinct patterns of tumor immune microenvironment. By mIHC staining of sections from 30 patients with MSI-H status, we showed that the patients with better prognoses had the increased infiltration of CD8⁺ cells in the primary tumoral tissue.

CONCLUSION

Our study developed a simple five-gene signature for stratifying MSI-H GC patients with survival predictive power.

Cancer Risk and Mutational Patterns Following Organ Transplantation

The rapid development of medical technology and widespread application of immunosuppressive drugs have improved the success rate of organ transplantation significantly. However, the use of immunosuppressive agents increases the frequency of malignancy greatly. With the prospect of “precision medicine” for tumors and development of next-generation sequencing technology, more attention has been paid to the application of high-throughput sequencing technology in clinical oncology research, which is mainly applied to the early diagnosis of tumors and analysis of tumor-related genes. All generations of cancers carry somatic mutations, meanwhile, significant differences were observed in mutational signatures across tumors. Systematic sequencing of cancer genomes from patients after organ transplantation can reveal DNA damage and repair processes in exposed cancer cells and their precursors. In this review, we summarize the application of high-throughput sequencing and organoids in the field of organ transplantation, the mutational patterns of cancer genomes, and propose a new research strategy for understanding the mechanism of cancer following organ transplantation.

Endometrial Cancer: An Update on Prognostic Pathologic Features and Clinically Relevant Biomarkers

The prognosis of endometrial cancers has historically been determined by the evaluation of histologic typing, grading, and staging. Recently, molecular classification, pioneered by the 4 prognostic categories from The Cancer Genome Atlas Research Network, has been shown to independently predict the outcome, correlate with biomarker expression, and predict response to adjuvant chemotherapy. In modern-day pathology practice, it has become necessary to integrate the time-honored prognostic pathologic features with molecular classification to optimize patient management. In this review, the significance of the molecular classification of endometrioid carcinomas, the application of practical diagnostic surrogate algorithms, and interpretation of test results will be addressed. Histologic features and theragnostic biomarkers will also be discussed in relation to the molecular subtypes of endometrial cancers.

The Role of CTNNB1 in Endometrial Cancer

Endometrial cancer (EC) is the most common gynaecologic malignancy in the developed countries. Recent evidence suggests that histopathological subtyping together with molecular subgrouping can lead to more accurate assessment of the risk profile for the patient. Clinical studies suggest the currently used molecular classification improves the risk assessment of women with endometrial cancer but does not explain the differences in recurrence profiles clearly. This could be improved by novel markers. One of such are mutations in the β-catenin (CTNNB1) gene, a frequently mutated gene in endometrial cancer. This shows mutations mostly at phosphorylation sites of the β-catenin and almost exclusively in the endometrial subgroup of no specific molecular profile. CTNNB1 mutations lead to alterations in the Wnt/β-catenin signalling pathway, involved in the carcinogenesis and progression of EC by inducing transcription of target genes, whose function is to regulate the cell cycle. Although tumours with mutations in CTNNB1 tend to have low-risk characteristics, they are related to worse outcomes with significantly increased rate of disease recurrence and lower overall survival.

Endometrial Cancer Management in Young Women

Endometrial cancer (EC) rarely develops in young women. Most cases are associated with known risk factors: BMI > 30, history of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOs), and race differentiation. The molecular EC classification based on The Cancer Genome Atlas Research Network divides these heterogeneous cancers into four types: Polymerase Epsilon Mutation (POLE), Microsatellite Instability (MSI), Copy Number Low (CNL), and Copy Number High (CNH). This division was introduced to allow for early assessment of neoplastic changes and clinical management, including targeted therapies. The basic technique for imaging endometrium changes is transvaginal sonography. Hysteroscopy is the standard for obtaining endometrial material for histological evaluation. The MRI result permits assessment of the extent of EC cancer infiltration. In young women who want to preserve fertility, apart from surgery, conservative management is often implemented after strict selection based on clinical and pathological data. This pharmacological treatment involves the administration of progestogens MPA (medroxyprogesterone acetate) and MA (megestrol acetate). The use of metformin may increase the effectiveness of such treatment. An alternative option is to apply progestogens locally—via the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine device. In addition to pharmacological treatment, hysteroscopic resection may be used—part of the uterine muscle adjacent to the pathologically changed endometrium may also undergo resection. An alternative is the administration of estrogen receptor modulators (e.g., SERMs) or aromatase inhibitors, or GnRH agonists.

Pelvic Carcinosarcoma Showing a Diverse Histology and Hierarchical Gene Mutation with a Common POLE Mutation to Endometrial Endometroid Carcinoma: A Case Report

POLE mutation-type endometrial cancer is characterized by an extremely high tumor mutation burden. Most POLE mutation-type endometrial cancers are histologically endometrioid carcinomas, and POLE mutation-type carcinosarcomas are rare among endometrial cancers. We report a case of endometrial and pelvic cancer in a 53-year-old woman who was analyzed using next-generating sequencing. The endometrial lesion harbored a p.T457del POLE mutation with an elevated tumor mutation burden and low microsatellite instability. The pelvic lesion showed divergent histological features, consisting of high-grade endometrioid carcinoma, neuroendocrine carcinoma, and chondrosarcoma. In addition to the common POLE mutation detected in the endometrial lesion, the pelvic lesion in each element showed additional gene mutations in a hierarchical manner. Therefore, it is indicated that the p.T457del POLE mutation is a pathogenic mutation and may be related to POLE mutation-induced carcinogenesis and divergent morphogenesis in endometrial cancer.

Endometrial giant cell carcinoma: new insights from a morphological, immunohistochemical, and molecular analysis of three cases

Herein, we present a morphological, immunohistochemical, and molecular analysis of three cases of endometrial giant cell carcinoma (EGCC) with a literature review. Patient age was 55 to 76 years. The tumors were limited to the uterus and showed dyshesive, bizarre giant cells with numerous atypical mitoses. Minor components were low-grade endometrioid, spindled/myxoid (case nos. 1 and 2), serous (case no. 3), and undifferentiated (all cases). The giant cells were e-cadherin-, cytokeratins/EMA + (focal/multifocal), hormone receptors + (focal/multifocal), vimentin + , p16 + (diffuse), CD68-, α-FP-, β-HCG-, muscle markers-, CD10-, and ERG-. Case no. 3 was p53-abnormal. All cases were mismatch repair-proficient and microsatellite-stable. No POLE mutations were detected. Based on our and previous reports, EGCC is often accompanied by a conventional carcinomatous component (mostly endometrioid) and shows partial loss epithelial markers and negativity for specific differentiation markers. EGCC shows evident similarities to both undifferentiated/dedifferentiated carcinoma and carcinosarcoma and should be managed similarly. Unlike the latter two, EGCC might preferentially derive from "no-specific-molecular-profile" carcinomas.

Metformin Intervention—A Panacea for Cancer Treatment?

The molecular mechanism of action and the individual influence of various metabolic pathways related to metformin intervention are under current investigation. The available data suggest that metformin provides many advantages, exhibiting anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, hepatoprotective, cardioprotective, otoprotective, radioprotective, and radio-sensitizing properties depending on cellular context. This literature review was undertaken to provide novel evidence concerning metformin intervention, with a particular emphasis on cancer treatment and prevention. Undoubtedly, the pleiotropic actions associated with metformin include inhibiting inflammatory processes, increasing antioxidant capacity, and improving glycemic and lipid metabolism. Consequently, these characteristics make metformin an attractive medicament to translate to human trials, the promising results of which were also summarized in this review.

Uterine carcinosarcoma vs endometrial serous and clear cell carcinoma: A systematic review and meta-analysis of survival

Background

It is unclear whether uterine carcinosarcoma (UCS) is more aggressive than endometrial serous carcinoma (SC) and clear cell carcinoma (CCC).

Objectives

To compare the prognosis of UCS to that of endometrial SC and CCC, through a systematic review and meta‐analysis.

Methods

Four electronic databases were searched from January 2000 to October 2020. All studies assessing hazard ratio (HR) for death in UCS vs SC and/or CCC. HRs for death with 95% confidence interval were extracted and pooled by using a random‐effect model. A significant P‐value <0.05 was adopted.

Results

Six studies with 11 029 patients (4995 with UCS, 4634 with SC, 1346 with CCC and 54 with either SC or CCC) were included. UCS showed a significantly worse prognosis than SC/CCC both overall (HR = 1.51; P = 0.008) and at early stage (HR = 1.58; P < 0.001). Similar results were found for UCS vs SC (HR = 1.53; P < 0.001) and UCS vs CCC (HR = 1.60; P < 0.001).

Conclusions

Compared to SC and CCC, UCS has a significantly worse prognosis, with a 1.5–1.6‐fold increased risk of death. This might justify a more aggressive treatment for UCS compared to SC and CCC. Further studies are necessary to define the prognostic impact of different molecular subgroups.

Uterine carcinosarcoma shows worse prognosis than serous and clear cell carcinoma; this could impact patient management.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Liquid Biopsy in Endometrial Cancer

BACKGROUND

Liquid biopsy is a minimally invasive collection of a patient body fluid sample. In oncology, they offer several advantages compared to traditional tissue biopsies. However, the potential of this method in endometrial cancer (EC) remains poorly explored. We studied the utility of tumor educated platelets (TEPs) and circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) for preoperative EC diagnosis, including histology determination.

METHODS

TEPs from 295 subjects (53 EC patients, 38 patients with benign gynecologic conditions, and 204 healthy women) were RNA-sequenced. DNA sequencing data were obtained for 519 primary tumor tissues and 16 plasma samples. Artificial intelligence was applied to sample classification.

RESULTS

Platelet-dedicated classifier yielded AUC of 97.5% in the test set when discriminating between healthy subjects and cancer patients. However, the discrimination between endometrial cancer and benign gynecologic conditions was more challenging, with AUC of 84.1%. ctDNA-dedicated classifier discriminated primary tumor tissue samples with AUC of 96% and ctDNA blood samples with AUC of 69.8%.

CONCLUSIONS

Liquid biopsies show potential in EC diagnosis. Both TEPs and ctDNA profiles coupled with artificial intelligence constitute a source of useful information. Further work involving more cases is warranted.

Clinical Characteristics of Patients with Endometrial Cancer and Adenomyosis

Simple Summary

Endometrial cancer (EC) reportedly have a better prognosis in patients with coexistent adenomyosis. It is possible to hypothesize that this difference may be attributable to different clinical profiles. On this account, we aimed to define the clinical profile of endometrial cancer (EC) patients with and without adenomyosis through a systematic review and meta-analysis. We included 8 studies with 5681 patients and found that EC women with adenomyosis were less likely to be nulliparous than EC women without adenomyosis, while no significant differences were found with regard to age, BMI, and premenopausal status.

Abstract

A better endometrial cancer (EC) prognosis in patients with coexistent adenomyosis has been reported. Unfortunately, it is still unclear if this better prognosis is related to a more favorable clinical profile of adenomyosis patients. We aimed to evaluate differences in the clinical profiles of EC patients with and without adenomyosis. A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed by searching seven electronics databases for all studies that allowed extraction of data about clinical characteristics in EC patients with and without adenomyosis. Clinical characteristics assessed were: age, Body Mass Index (BMI), premenopausal status, and nulliparity. Mean difference in mean ± standard deviation (SD) or odds ratio (OR) for clinical characteristics between EC patients with and without adenomyosis were calculated for each included study and as a pooled estimate, and graphically reported on forest plots with a 95% confidence interval (CI). The Z test was used for assessing the overall effect by considering a p value < 0.05 as significant. Overall, eight studies with 5681 patients were included in the qualitative analysis, and seven studies with 4366 patients in the quantitative analysis. Pooled mean difference in mean ± SD between EC women with and without adenomyosis was −1.19 (95% CI: −3.18 to 0.80; p = 0.24) for age, and 0.23 (95% CI: −0.62 to 1.07; p = 0.60) for BMI. When compared to EC women without adenomyosis, EC women with adenomyosis showed a pooled OR of 1.53 (95% CI: 0.92 to 2.54; p = 0.10) for premenopausal status, and of 0.60 (95% CI: 0.41 to 0.87; p = 0.007) for nulliparity. In conclusion, there are not significant differences in clinical characteristics between EC patients with and without adenomyosis, with the exception for nulliparity. Clinical features seem to not underlie the better EC prognosis of patients with adenomyosis compared to patients without adenomyosis.

Depth of Stromal Invasion as the Most Prognostically Relevant Regression System in Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer after Neoadjuvant Treatment: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Grading

Background: several different criteria have been proposed to categorize the pathological response in cervical cancer after neoadjuvant therapy; although it is unclear what the most prognostically valuable one is. Objective: to assess the prognostic value of pathological criteria for categorizing the response in cervical cancer after neoadjuvant therapy, through a systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods: four electronic databases were searched from January to December 2020 for all studies, assessing the prognostic value of pathological response in cervical cancer after neoadjuvant therapy. Hazard ratio (HR) for overall survival (OS) was calculated with a significant p-value < 0.05. A meta-analysis was performed for each criteria assessed in at least three studies. Results: sixteen studies were included. Criteria for pathological response included (i) residual stromal invasion < vs. >3 mm; (ii) complete response vs. any residual; (iii) proportion of viable cells; (iv) residual tumor diameter; and (v) intracervical vs. extracervical residual. Criteria (i) and (ii) were suitable for meta-analysis. The presence of a residual tumor with stromal invasion > 3 mm showed a HR of 4.604 (95% CI; 3.229–6.565; p < 0.001), while the presence of any residual showed a HR of 1.610 (95% CI; 1.245–2.081; p < 0.001); statistical heterogeneity was absent in both analyses. Conclusions: dichotomizing the pathological response in cervical cancer after neoadjuvant therapy as < vs. >3 mm stromal invasion is more prognostically valuable than dichotomizing as complete response vs. any residual. Further studies are necessary to evaluate other systems.

Prognostic value of the TCGA molecular classification in uterine carcinosarcoma

Background

The TCGA molecular groups of endometrial carcinoma are “POLE‐mutated” (POLEmut), “microsatellite‐instable/mismatch repair‐deficient” (MSI/MMRd), “TP53‐mutated/p53‐abnormal” (TP53mut/p53abn), and “no specific molecular profile” (NSMP).

Objective

Prognostic assessment of the TCGA groups in uterine carcinosarcoma (UCS).

Search strategy

Systematic review from January 2000 to January 2021.

Selection criteria

Studies assessing the TCGA groups in UCS.

Data collection and analysis

Progression‐free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were assessed by Kaplan–Meier and Cox analyses (reference: TP53mut/p53abn group) and compared with endometrioid and serous carcinomas (original TCGA cohort), with a significant P < 0.050.

Main results

Five studies with 263 UCS were included. Compared with TP53mut/p53abn UCS, MSI/MMRd UCS showed significantly better PFS (P < 0.001) but similar OS (P = 0.788), whereas NSMP UCS showed similar PFS (P = 0.936) and OS (P = 0.240). Compared with their endometrioid/serous counterparts, NSMP and TP53mut/p53abn UCS showed significantly worse PFS (P < 0.001 and P = 0.004) and OS (P < 0.001 and P < 0.001), while MSI/MMRd UCS showed similar PFS (P = 0.595) but significantly worse OS (P < 0.001). The POLEmut group showed neither recurrences nor deaths in both the UCS and the endometrioid/serous carcinoma cohorts.

Conclusion

POLEmut UCS show excellent prognosis, whereas TP53mut/p53abn and NSMP UCS show a prognosis even worse than that of TP53mut/p53abn endometrioid/serous carcinomas. The prognosis of MSI/MMRd UCS remains to be defined.

POLEmut UCS show the same excellent prognosis as POLEmut endometrioid carcinomas, while TP53mut/p53abn and NSMP UCS show a prognosis even worse than TP53mut/p53abn endometrioid/serous carcinomas.

Identification of Distinct Molecular Subtypes of Endometrioid Adenocarcinoma

Endometrial carcinoma (EC) is one of the most common gynecological cancers worldwide. Endometrioid adenocarcinoma (EAC) is the major form of EC, accounting for 75–80% of cases. Currently, there is no molecular classification system for EAC, so there are no corresponding targeted treatments. In this study, we identified two distinct molecular subtypes of EAC with different gene expression patterns and clinicopathologic characteristics. Subtype I EAC cases, accounting for the majority of cases (56%), were associated with an earlier stage, a more well-differentiated grade, a lower tumor invasion rate, and a more favorable prognosis, and the median tumor necrosis percent (15%) was also significantly higher in subtype I EAC. In contrast, subtype II EAC represents high-grade EAC, with a higher tumor invasion rate and tumor weight. The up-regulated genes in subtype I EAC were associated with the immune response, defense response, cell motion, and cell motility pathway, whereas the up-regulated genes in subtype II EAC were associated with the cell cycle, DNA replication, and RNA processing pathways. Additionally, we identified three potential subtype-specific biomarkers, comprising MDM2 (MDM2 proto-oncogene) for subtype I, and MSH2 (mutS homolog 2) and MSH6 (mutS homolog 6) for subtype II.

Identification of Predictive Biomarkers for Lymph Node Involvement in Obese Women With Endometrial Cancer

Obesity, an established risk factor for endometrial cancer (EC), is also associated to increased risks of intraoperative and postoperative complications. A reliable tool to identify patients at low risk for lymph node (LN) metastasis may allow minimizing the surgical staging and omit lymphadenectomy in obese patients. To identify molecular biomarkers that could predict LN involvement in obese patients with EC we performed gene expression analysis in 549 EC patients using publicly available transcriptomic datasets. Patients were filtrated according to cancer subtype, weight (>30 kg/m²) and LN status. While in the LN+ group, NEB, ANK1, AMIGO2, LZTS1, FKBP5, CHGA, USP32P1, CLIC6, CEMIP, HMCN1 and TNFRSF10C genes were highly expressed; in the LN- group CXCL14, FCN1, EPHX3, DDX11L2, TMEM254, RNF207, LTK, RPL36A, HGAL, B4GALNT4, KLRG1 genes were up-regulated. As a second step, we investigated these genes in our patient cohort of 35 patients (15 LN+ and 20 LN-) and found the same correlation with the in-silico analysis. In addition, immunohistochemical expression was confirmed in the tumor tissue. Altogether, our findings propose a novel panel of genes able to predict LN involvement in obese patients with endometrial cancer.

Impact of adenomyosis on the prognosis of patients with endometrial cancer

Background

Despite the high prevalence of adenomyosis in hysterectomy specimens of endometrial carcinoma (EC) patients, the relationship between adenomyosis and EC prognosis appears unclear.

Objective

To assess the prognostic value of coexistent adenomyosis in patients with EC.

Methods

A systematic review and meta‐analysis was performed by searching six electronic databases for studies reporting data on prognosis of EC patients with and without coexistent adenomyosis. Studies with patient selection based on prognostic factors were excluded. Pooled univariate hazard ratio (HR) analyses for overall survival (OS) and disease‐free survival (DRF) were performed, using EC patients without adenomyosis as a control group. For DFS, pooled multivariate HR analysis was also evaluable.

Results

Three studies of 2505 EC patients (553 with and 1952 without adenomyosis) were included. Compared with EC patients without adenomyosis, EC patients with coexistent adenomyosis showed a pooled HR of 0.533 (CI 95%, 0.329–0.864) for OS at univariate analysis; 0.536 (CI 95%, 0.334–0.859) for DFS at univariate analysis; and 0.875 (CI 95%, 0.331–2.315) for DFS at multivariate analysis.

Conclusion

In EC patients with coexistent adenomyosis, the risk of death is halved compared with EC patients without adenomyosis. However, the independence of this association needs to be verified in future studies.

The risk of death is halved in EC patients with coexistent adenomyosis compared with EC patients without adenomyosis, whereas the risk of EC recurrence does not appear to be affected.

Genomic alterations in gynecological malignancies: histotype-associated driver mutations, molecular subtyping schemes, and tumorigenic mechanisms

There are numerous histological subtypes (histotypes) of gynecological malignancies, with each histotype considered to largely reflect a feature of the "cell of origin," and to be tightly linked with the clinical behavior and biological phenotype of the tumor. The recent advances in massive parallel sequencing technologies have provided a more complete picture of the range of the genomic alterations that can persist within individual tumors, and have highlighted the types and frequencies of driver-gene mutations and molecular subtypes often associated with these histotypes. Several large-scale genomic cohorts, including the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), have been used to characterize the genomic features of a range of gynecological malignancies, including high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma, uterine corpus endometrial carcinoma, uterine cervical carcinoma, and uterine carcinosarcoma. These datasets have also been pivotal in identifying clinically relevant molecular targets and biomarkers, and in the construction of molecular subtyping schemes. In addition, the recent widespread use of clinical sequencing for the more ubiquitous types of gynecological cancer has manifested in a series of large genomic datasets that have allowed the characterization of the genomes, driver mutations, and histotypes of even rare cancer types, with sufficient statistical power. Here, we review the field of gynecological cancer, and seek to describe the genomic features by histotype. We also will demonstrate how these are linked with clinicopathological attributes and highlight the potential tumorigenic mechanisms.

Prognostic value of myometrial invasion and TCGA groups of endometrial carcinoma

BACKGROUND

2021 ESGO/ESTRO/ESP guidelines for the management of patients with endometrial carcinoma (EC) encourage molecular classification and propose a new prognostic risk stratification based on both pathologic and molecular features. Although deep myometrial invasion (DMI) has been considered as a crucial risk factor in EC, it is unclear if its prognostic value is independent from The Cancer Genome ATLAS (TCGA) groups.

AIM

To assess if the prognostic value of DMI is independent from the TCGA groups in EC patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed by searching through 5 electronic databases, from their inception to March 2021, for all studies that allowed to assess DMI as a prognostic factor independent of the TCGA groups in EC patients. Pooled hazard ratio (HR) of DMI for overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) was calculated at multivariable analyses including TCGA groups as a variable. Superficial myometrial invasion (<50% of myometrial thickness) was considered as a reference. In DFS analyses, locoregional and distant recurrence were separately considered for one study.

RESULTS

Five studies with 2469 patients were included in the systematic review and 3 studies with 1549 patients in the meta-analysis. Pooled HR of DMI was 1.082 (CI 95% 0.85-1.377; p = 0.524) for OS, 1.709 (CI 95% 1.173-2.491; p = 0.005) for DFS, 1.585 (CI 95% 1.154-2.178; p = 0.004) for DFS additionally considering locoregional recurrence for one study, and 1.701 (CI 95% 1.235-2.344, p = 0.001) for DFS additionally considering distant recurrence for the same study.

CONCLUSIONS

DMI does not appear as an independent prognostic factor for OS in EC patients; instead, it seems to affect the risk of recurrence independently from the TCGA groups. Further studies are necessary to confirm these findings and to assess the prognostic impact of DMI separately in each TCGA group.

Clinical features of ProMisE groups identify different phenotypes of patients with endometrial cancer

BACKGROUND

The Proactive Molecular Risk Classifier for Endometrial Cancer (ProMisE) groups has identified four molecular prognostic groups of endometrial cancer (EC): POLE-mutated (POLE-mt), mismatch repair-deficient (MMR-d), p53-abnormal (p53-abn), p53-wild-type (p53-wt). These groups might have different pathogenesis and risk factors, and might occur in different phenotypes of patients. However, these data are still lacking.

OBJECTIVE

To provide a clinical characterization of the ProMisE groups of EC.

METHODS

A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed by searching seven electronic databases from their inception to December 2020, for all studies reporting clinical characteristics of EC patients in each ProMisE group. Pooled means of age and BMI and pooled prevalence of FIGO stage I and adjuvant treatment in each ProMisE group were calculated.

RESULTS

Six studies with 1, 879 women were included in the systematic review. Pooled means (with standard error) and prevalence values were: in the MMR-d group, age = 66.5 ± 0.6; BMI = 30.6 ± 1.2; stage I = 72.6%; adjuvant treatment = 47.3%; in the POLE-mt group, age = 58.6 ± 2.7; BMI = 27.2 ± 0.9; stage I = 93.7%; adjuvant treatment = 53.6%; in the p53-wt group, age = 64.2 ± 1.9; BMI = 32.3 ± 1.4; stage I = 80.5%; adjuvant treatment = 45.3%; in the p53-abn group, age = 71.1 ± 0.5; BMI = 29.1 ± 0.5; stage I = 50.8%; adjuvant treatment = 64.4%.

CONCLUSION

The ProMisE groups identify different phenotypes of patients. The POLE-mt group included the youngest women, with the lower BMI and the highest prevalence of stage I. The p53-wt group included patients with the highest BMI. The p53-abn group included the oldest women, with the highest prevalence of adjuvant treatment and the lowest prevalence of stage I. The MMR-d group showed intermediate values among the ProMisE groups for all clinical features.