Trends in demographic and clinical characteristics in women diagnosed with corpus cancer and their potential impact on the increasing number of deaths

EPPK1 as a Prognostic Biomarker in Type I Endometrial Cancer and Its Correlation with Immune Infiltration

Purpose

Approximately 20% of patients with type I endometrial cancer (EC) of the uterus experience recurrence and metastasis. However, existing data do not provide sufficient evidence for the utility of protein levels as prognostic biomarkers in type I EC. This study aims to determine whether epiplakin1 (EPPK1) and progesterone receptor (PR) play a role in the recurrence and metastasis of type I EC.

Methods

Following the Reporting Recommendations for Tumor Marker Prognostic Studies (REMARK) for assessing the quality of biomarker research results, a retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical information and tissue samples of type I EC patients. Protein expression data and clinical data for type I EC were downloaded from The Cancer Proteome Atlas (TCPA) database. We utilized the Kaplan-Meier (K-M) method and Cox proportional hazards regression analyses to evaluate whether epiplakin1 (EPPK1), progesterone receptor (PR) and certain clinical parameters can serve as independent prognostic factors. The Immune Cell Abundance Identifier (ImmuCellAI) and Cancer Immunome Atlas (TCIA) were employed to predict responses to immunotherapy. Immunohistochemistry was carried out to assess the expression of EPPK1 in type I EC.

Results

Type I EC patients with high EPPK1 and low PR expression had higher International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage, recurrence, and metastasis rates. Furthermore, EPPK1 was identified as an independent prognostic factor, and low expression of EPPK1 was predominantly observed in the POLE ultramutated (POLEmut) group, indicating a favorable prognosis. Additionally, the high EPPK1 expression group had a lower Immune Prognostic Score (IPS), suggesting that the high-expression group may not benefit from immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Conclusion

High expression of EPPK1 is an independent prognostic factor in type I EC patients with low PR expression. It can identify a subgroup of patients at high risk of recurrence. A more aggressive treatment approach is recommended for these patients.

Distinct histological and clinical features associated with pure uterine serous carcinoma: A single institution experience

AIM

To ascertain the clinicopathological features, survival, and prognostic factors of pure uterine serous carcinoma (pUSC) and compare its clinicopathological characteristics with those of serous-like grade-3 endometrioid endometrial carcinoma (G3-EEC).

METHOD

Consecutive patients with pUSC and p53 abnormal (p53abn) G3-EEC were retrospectively selected between 2014 and 2022. Histological and immunohistochemical features were reviewed, clinical information was collected, and survival analyses were performed.

RESULTS

Eighty-five pUSC patients (mean age: 61.6 years) were included. Histologically, pUSC showed a predominantly glandular growth pattern (80.0 %) with high-grade nuclear atypia and obvious nucleoli and 53 cases showed admixtures of architectural patterns. The p53 aberrant expression rate was 98.8 %. 41.5 %, 53.7 %, and 67.5 % of cases were classified as negative for ER, PR, and WT1, respectively. Six (12.3 %) of 49 cases had a HER2 score of 3+ by immunohistochemistry (IHC). The overall survival and progression-free survival rates were 72.9 % and 63.5 %, respectively. Advanced stage, no adjuvant therapy, and lymph node metastasis were independent risk factors for poor survival in pUSC. Twenty-five p53abn G3-EEC patients were assessed. Women with p53abn G3-EEC were on average, younger than those with pUSC (53.4 vs. 61.6 years, P < 0.001). Papillary structures were observed more commonly in pUSC (16 % vs. 36.5 %, P = 0.042). Positive PR expression was significantly associated with p53abn G3-EEC (P = 0.009). Survival did not differ significantly between the subgroups in univariate and multivariate analyses.

CONCLUSION

In this contemporary series, we affirm the suboptimal prognosis associated with pUSC, and that the survival associated with pUSC and p53abn G3-EEC are not significantly different. pUSC and p53abn G3-EEC have distinct morphological and immunohistochemical characteristics.

The Risk of Recurrence in Endometrial Cancer Patients with Low-Volume Metastasis in the Sentinel Lymph Nodes: A Retrospective Multi-Institutional Study

The aim of this study was to assess the impact of low-volume metastasis (LVM) on disease-free survival (DFS) in women with apparent early-stage endometrial cancer (EC) who underwent sentinel lymph node (SLN) mapping. Patients with pre-operative early-stage EC were retrospectively collected from an international collaboration including 13 referring institutions. A total of 1428 patients were included in this analysis. One hundred and eighty-six patients (13%) had lymph node involvement. Fifty-nine percent of positive SLN exhibited micrometastases, 26.9% micrometastases, and 14% isolated tumor cells. Seventeen patients with positive lymph nodes did not receive any adjuvant therapy. At a median follow-up of 33.3 months, the disease had recurred in 114 women (8%). Patients with micrometastases in the lymph nodes had a worse prognosis of disease-free survival compared to patients with negative nodes or LVM. The rate of recurrence was significantly higher for women with micrometastases than those with low-volume metastases (HR = 2.61; p = 0.01). The administration of adjuvant treatment in patients with LVM, without uterine risk factors, remains a matter of debate and requires further evaluation.

Management of Patients Diagnosed with Endometrial Cancer: Comparison of Guidelines

Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecological malignancy in Europe and its management involves a variety of health professionals. In recent years, big discoveries were made concerning the management of patients diagnosed with endometrial cancer, particularly in the field of molecular biology and minimally invasive surgery. This requires the continuous updating of guidelines and protocols over the years. In this paper, we aim to summarize and compare common points and disparities among protocols for management of patients diagnosed with endometrial cancer by leading international gynecological oncological societies. We therefore systematically report the parallel among the guidelines based on the various steps patients with endometrial cancer usually undergo. The comparison between American and European protocols revealed some relevant disparities, in particular regarding surgical staging, molecular biology application as a prognostic tool and follow up regimens. This could possibly cause differences in interpreting and applying protocols in clinical practice in small centers, leading to a lack of adherence to guidelines or even prompting a confusing mix of them.

Uterine Neoplasms, Version 1.2023, NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology

Adenocarcinoma of the endometrium (also known as endometrial cancer, or more broadly as uterine cancer or carcinoma of the uterine corpus) is the most common malignancy of the female genital tract in the United States. It is estimated that 65,950 new uterine cancer cases will have occurred in 2022, with 12,550 deaths resulting from the disease. Endometrial carcinoma includes pure endometrioid cancer and carcinomas with high-risk endometrial histology (including uterine serous carcinoma, clear cell carcinoma, carcinosarcoma [also known as malignant mixed Müllerian tumor], and undifferentiated/dedifferentiated carcinoma). Stromal or mesenchymal sarcomas are uncommon subtypes accounting for approximately 3% of all uterine cancers. This selection from the NCCN Guidelines for Uterine Neoplasms focuses on the diagnosis, staging, and management of pure endometrioid carcinoma. The complete version of the NCCN Guidelines for Uterine Neoplasms is available online at NCCN.org.

Comprehensive Analysis of GDF10 Methylation Site-Associated Genes as Prognostic Markers for Endometrial Cancer

Growth differentiation factor-10 (GDF10) with its methylation trait has recently been found to play a crucial regulatory and communication role in cancers. This investigation aims to identify GDF10 methylation site-associated genes that are closely associated with endometrial cancer (EC) patients' survival based on normal and UCEC samples from the UCSC Xena database. Our study revealed for the first time that EC exhibited significantly higher levels of GDF10 promoter methylation in comparison with normal tissues. Multiple differentiated methylation sites, which have prognostic value due to their apparent survival differences, were found in the GDF10 promoter region. We performed weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) on EC tissues and paraneoplastic tissues while using these differentially methylated sites as phenotypes for selecting the most correlated key modules and their internal genes. To obtain a gene set, the key module genes and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of EC were intersected. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression along with multivariate Cox regression were performed from the gene set and we screened out the key genes B4GALNT3, DNAJC22, and GREB1. Finally, a prognostic model was validated for effectiveness based on these genes. Additionally, Kaplan-Meier analysis and time-dependent receiver operating characteristics (ROC) were applied to assess and verify the model, and they showed good prognosis prediction. Moreover, the differences in risk scores were statistically significant with age, tumor stage, and grade. They may be related to the immune infiltration of tumors as well. In conclusion, based on the methylation-related genes associated with GDF10, we developed a prognosis model for EC patients. It might provide a fresh view for further research and treatment of EC.

PLK3 amplification and tumor immune microenvironment of metastatic tumors are linked to adjuvant treatment outcomes in uterine serous cancer

Uterine serous carcinoma (USC), an aggressive variant of endometrial cancer representing approximately 10% of endometrial cancer diagnoses, accounts for ∼39% of endometrial cancer-related deaths. We examined the role of genomic alterations in advanced-stage USC associated with outcome using paired primary-metastatic tumors (n = 29) treated with adjuvant platinum and taxane chemotherapy. Comparative genomic analysis of paired primary-metastatic patient tumors included whole exome sequencing and targeted gene expression. Both PLK3 amplification and the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) in metastatic tumors were linked to time-to-recurrence (TTR) risk without any such association observed with primary tumors. TP53 loss was significantly more frequent in metastatic tumors of platinum-resistant versus platinum-sensitive patients and was also associated with increased recurrence and mortality risk. Increased levels of chr1 breakpoints in USC metastatic versus primary tumors co-occur with PLK3 amplification. PLK3 and the TIME are potential targets for improving outcomes in USC adjuvant therapy.

Developing a novel DNA methylation risk score for survival and identification of prognostic gene mutations in endometrial cancer: a study based on TCGA data

Background

Few studies have focused on DNA methylation in endometrial cancer. The aim of our study is identify its role in endometrial cancer prognosis.

Methods

A publicly available dataset was retrieved from The Cancer Genome Atlas. For validation of expression alteration due to methylation, RNA sequencing data were obtained from other independent cohorts. MethSurv was used to search for candidate CpG probes, which were then filtered by least absolute shrinkage and selection operator Cox regression and multivariate Cox regression analyses to identify final set of CpG probes for overall survival. A methylation-based risk model was developed and receiver operating characteristic analysis with area under curve was used for evaluation. Patients were divided into high- and low-risk groups using an optimal cut-off point. Comprehensive bioinformatic analyses were conducted to identify hub genes, key transcription factors, and enriched cancer-related pathways. Kaplan–Meier curve was used for survival analysis.

Results

A 5-CpG signature score was established. Its predictive value for 5-year overall survival was high, with area under curve of 0.828, 0.835 and 0.816 for the training, testing and entire cohorts. cg27487839 and cg12885678 had strong correlation with their gene expression, XKR6 and PTPRN2, and lower PTPRN2 expression was associated with poorer survival in both The Cancer Genome Atlas and the validation datasets. Low-risk group was associated with significantly better survival. Low-risk group harboured more mutations in hub genes and key transcription factors, and mutations in SP1 and MECP2 represented favourable outcome.

Conclusion

We developed a methylation-based prognostic stratification system for endometrial cancer. Low-risk group was associated with better survival and harboured more mutations in the key regulatory genes.

Risk-Reducing Salpingo-Oophorectomy and the Use of Hormone Replacement Therapy Below the Age of Natural Menopause: Scientific Impact Paper No. 66 October 2021: Scientific Impact Paper No. 66

This paper deals with the use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) after the removal of fallopian tubes and ovaries to prevent ovarian cancer in premenopausal high risk women. Some women have an alteration in their genetic code, which makes them more likely to develop ovarian cancer. Two well-known genes which can carry an alteration are the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. Examples of other genes associated with an increased risk of ovarian cancer include RAD51C, RAD51D, BRIP1, PALB2 and Lynch syndrome genes. Women with a strong family history of ovarian cancer and/or breast cancer, may also be at increased risk of developing ovarian cancer. Women at increased risk can choose to have an operation to remove the fallopian tubes and ovaries, which is the most effective way to prevent ovarian cancer. This is done after a woman has completed her family. However, removal of ovaries causes early menopause and leads to hot flushes, sweats, mood changes and bone thinning. It can also cause memory problems and increases the risk of heart disease. It may reduce libido or impair sexual function. Guidance on how to care for women following preventative surgery who are experiencing early menopause is needed. HRT is usually advisable for women up to 51 years of age (average age of menopause for women in the UK) who are undergoing early menopause and have not had breast cancer, to minimise the health risks linked to early menopause. For women with a womb, HRT should include estrogen coupled with progestogen to protect against thickening of the lining of the womb (called endometrial hyperplasia). For women without a womb, only estrogen is given. Research suggests that, unlike in older women, HRT for women in early menopause does not increase breast cancer risk, including in those who are BRCA1 and BRCA2 carriers and have preventative surgery. For women with a history of receptor-negative breast cancer, the gynaecologist will liaise with an oncology doctor on a case-by-case basis to help to decide if HRT is safe to use. Women with a history of estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer are not normally offered HRT. A range of other therapies can be used if a woman is unable to take HRT. These include behavioural therapy and non-hormonal medicines. However, these are less effective than HRT. Regular exercise, healthy lifestyle and avoiding symptom triggers are also advised. Whether to undergo surgery to reduce risk or not and its timing can be a complex decision-making process. Women need to be carefully counselled on the pros and cons of both preventative surgery and HRT use so they can make informed decisions and choices.

The Current and Future States of Screening in Gynecologic Cancers

Gynecologic cancers contribute to a significant portion of cancer morbidity and mortality among women in the United States and across the globe. This article provides a comprehensive review of current screening guidelines and novel techniques that have promise in the prevention and early detection of gynecologic cancers in the future. The authors anticipate a move toward less invasive testing modalities, use of cancer biomarkers, and the prevention and treatment of high-risk factors such as human papilloma virus infection and obesity.

Survival implication of lymphadenectomy in patients surgically treated for apparent early-stage uterine serous carcinoma

OBJECTIVE

Uterine serous carcinoma (USC) is a rare highly aggressive disease. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the survival implication of the systematic lymphadenectomy in patients who underwent surgery for apparent early-stage USC.

METHODS

Consecutive patients with apparent early-stage USC surgically treated at six Italian referral cancer centers were analyzed. A comparison was made between patients who underwent retroperitoneal staging including at least pelvic lymphadenectomy "LND" vs. those who underwent hysterectomy alone "NO-LND". Baseline, surgical and oncological outcomes were analyzed. Kaplan- Meier curves were calculated for disease-free survival (DFS) and disease-specific survival (DSS). Associations were evaluated with Cox proportional hazard regression and summarized using hazard ratio (HR).

RESULTS

One hundred forty patients were analyzed, 106 LND and 34 NO-LND. NO-LND group (compared to LND group) included older patients (median age, 73 vs.67 years) and with higher comorbidities (median Charlson Comorbidity Index, 6 vs. 5) (p<0.001). No differences in terms of recurrence rate (LND vs. NO-LND, 33.1% vs. 41.4%; p=0.240) were observed. At Cox regression analysis lymphadenectomy did not significantly influence DFS (HR=0.59; 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.32-1.08; p=0.09), and DSS (HR=0.14; 95% CI=0.02-1.21; multivariable analysis p=0.07). Positive node was independently associated with worse DFS (HR=6.22; 95% CI=3.08-12.60; p<0.001) and DSS (HR=5.51; 95% CI=2.31-13.10; p<0.001), while adjuvant chemotherapy was associated with improved DFS (HR=0.38; 95% CI=0.17-0.86; p=0.02) and age was independently associated with worse DSS (HR=1.07; 95% CI=1.02-1.13; p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Although lymphadenectomy did not show survival benefits in patients who underwent surgery for apparent early-stage USC, the presence of lymph node metastasis was the main adverse prognostic factors, supporting the prognostic role of the retroperitoneal staging also in this histological subtype.

A seven-m6A regulator-related CpG site-based prognostic signature for endometrial carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Endometrial carcinoma (EC) has become a common gynecologic malignancy with a high mortality. The m6A regulators have been identified to be closely associated with multiple human cancers including EC. However, the CpG methylation signature related to m6A regulators in EC remains unclear.

METHOD

The methylation profiles of EC patients including cancer samples and adjacent normal samples were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. The CpG sites in 20 m6A regulators were identified. Univariate Cox regression and LASSO Cox regression analysis were used to screen key CpG sites which were located at m6A regulators and significantly related to the prognosis of EC. The predictive model for EC prognosis was constructed, and multivariate Cox regression analysis was applied to explore whether the risk score derived from the model could function as an independent signature for EC prognosis. Meanwhile, a nomogram model was constructed by combing the independent prognostic signatures for prediction of the long-term survival in EC patients.

RESULTS

A total of 396 CpG sites located at 20 m6A regulators were identified. A specific predictive model for EC prognosis based on 7 optimal CpG sites was constructed, which presented good performance in prognosis prediction of EC patients. Moreover, risk score was determined to be an independent signature both in the training set and validation set. By bringing in three independent prognostic factors (age, risk score, and TNM stage), the nomogram was constructed and could effectively predict the 3- and 5-year survival rates of EC patients.

CONCLUSION

Our study suggested that the CpG sites located at m6A regulators might be considered as potential prognostic signatures for EC patients.

ZIC2 upregulates lncRNA SNHG12 expression to promote endometrial cancer cell proliferation and migration by activating the Notch signaling pathway

It was previously reported that long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) small nucleolar RNA host gene 12 (SNHG12) promoted the proliferation, invasion and migration of endometrial cancer (EC) cells; however, the upstream underlying mechanism remains unclear. The present study aimed to determine the possible underlying mechanism of SNHG12 regulating EC. The Encyclopedia of RNA Interactomes database was used to analyze whether SNHG12 could bind to Zic family member 2 (ZIC2) and the expression levels of ZIC2 in patients with EC. ZIC2 expression levels in EC cell lines were analyzed using western blotting and reverse transcription-quantitative PCR. RL95-2 cells were subsequently transfected with short hairpin RNA targeting ZIC2, or ZIC2 or SNHG12 overexpression plasmids. Cell proliferation, migration and invasion were analyzed using Cell Counting Kit-8, colony formation, wound healing and Transwell assays, respectively. The binding between ZIC2 and SHNG12 was verified using dual luciferase reporter and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays. The results of the present study revealed that the expression levels of ZIC2 were upregulated in the tissues of patients with EC and EC cell lines. ZIC2 knockdown inhibited RL95-2 cell proliferation, migration and invasion. The protein expression levels of Ki67, proliferating cell nuclear antigen, MMP2 and MMP9 were also downregulated following the knockdown of ZIC2. ZIC2 was predicted to bind to SNHG12 and positively regulate SNHG12 expression. Further experiments demonstrated that the effects of the knockdown of ZIC2 on RL95-2 cells were partially reversed by SNHG12 overexpression. In addition, ZIC2 knockdown inhibited Notch signaling activation, while SNHG12 overexpression reversed this effect. In conclusion, the findings of the present study indicated that ZIC2 may upregulate SNHG12 expression to promote EC cell proliferation and migration by activating the Notch signaling pathway.

Real-world database analysis of the characteristics and treatment patterns of patients with endometrial cancer in Japan

OBJECTIVE

The aim was to identify the characteristics and treatment patterns of early and advanced stage endometrial cancer patients using real-world data.

METHODS

Patients' data extracted from a Japanese health insurance claims database were analyzed.

RESULTS

Of the 12,449 endometrial cancer patients, 74.4% were in stage I, 5.1% in stage II, 12.0% in stage III, and 8.4% in stage IV. Their median age was 60.5 years, higher in advanced stages (III/IV) than in early stages (I/II). Overall, 11,055 patients (88.8%) underwent surgery, and 4977 patients (40.0%) received post-surgery treatment, including chemotherapy (4441: 35.7%), chemoradiation therapy (379: 3.0%), and radiation therapy (157 patients: 1.3%); 1394 patients (11.2%) were not treated by surgery, and 742 patients (6.0%) received other treatment, with chemotherapy (548: 4.4%), radiation therapy (105: 0.8%), and chemoradiation therapy (89: 0.7%). The rate of patients undergoing surgery decreased, and that receiving chemotherapy increased significantly as cancer stage progressed. Paclitaxel/carboplatin was the most frequent first-line regimen (85.4% of patients), whereas various combination and monotherapy regimens were used as second- and third-line regimens. The most frequent second-line monotherapy was paclitaxel. The rate of monotherapy increased as the treatment line progressed (first-line 3.5%, second-line 22.0%, and third-line 36.4%).

CONCLUSIONS

The characteristics and treatment patterns of endometrial cancer patients differed between early and advanced stages, as did the chemotherapy regimens among first-, second-, and third-lines. Since various regimens were used for second- and third-line chemotherapies, development of appropriate second- and third-line chemotherapy regimens is warranted. A real-world analysis of cancer patients using a nationwide claims database may be a valuable approach to identifying unmet medical needs.

Dermatopontin as a potential pathogenic factor in endometrial cancer

The present study aimed to determine the differential expression profiles of proteins in endometrial carcinoma and to screen the proteins associated with the occurrence and development of endometrial cancer (EC). In total, 15 samples of human EC and paracancerous tissues were selected for proteomic analysis using a label-free quantification method based on liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The differential proteins were analysed using bioinformatics and verified using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and western blotting. Finally, the expression of differential proteins in 75 endometrial carcinoma samples and 30 normal endometrial tissue samples were detected using immunohistochemical staining, and the associations between differential protein expression and clinicopathological features were analysed. In total, 579 up-regulated proteins and 346 down-regulated proteins were identified between the two groups and seven proteins with the most significant differences were selected; these proteins included interferon-induced protein with tetratricopeptide repeats 3, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase family member 9, solute carrier family 34 member 2, cytochrome b5 reductase 1, protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor type 1, dermatopontin (DPT) and secretory leukocyte peptidase inhibitor. RT-qPCR and western blotting showed that DPT expression was down-regulated (P<0.001), which was consistent with the mass spectrometry results. The immunohistochemical staining results showed that the positive expression of DPT in EC and normal endometrial tissues was statistically significant (P<0.001). The positive expression of DPT was significantly decreased in poorly differentiated, late stage, lymph node metastasis and myometrial invasion depth ≥1/2 samples (P<0.05). DPT expression was significantly lower in EC, which might play role in the pathogenesis of EC.

Racial disparities in high-risk uterine cancer histologic subtypes: A United States Cancer Statistics study

OBJECTIVE

Black women with uterine cancer on average have worse survival outcomes compared to White women, in part due to higher rates of aggressive, non-endometrioid subtypes. However, analyses of incidence trends by specific high-risk subtypes are lacking, including those with hysterectomy and active pregnancy correction. The objective of our study was to evaluate racial disparities in age-adjusted incidence of non-endometrioid uterine cancer in 720,984 patients.

METHODS

Data were obtained from United States Cancer Statistics using SEER*Stat. We used the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System to correct for hysterectomy and active pregnancy. Age-adjusted, corrected incidence of uterine cancer from 2001 to 2016 and annual percent change (APC) were calculated using Joinpoint regression.

RESULTS

Of 720,984 patients, 560,131 (77.7%) were White, 72,328 (10.0%) were Black, 56,239 (7.8%) were Hispanic, and 22,963 (3.2%) were Asian/Pacific Islander. Age-adjusted incidence of uterine cancer increased from 40.8 (per 100,000) in 2001 to 42.9 in 2016 (APC = 0.5, p < 0.001). Black women had the highest overall incidence at 49.5 (APC = 2.3, p < 0.001). The incidence of non-endometrioid subtypes was higher in Black compared to White women, with the most pronounced differences seen in serous carcinoma (9.1 vs. 3.0), carcinosarcoma (6.1 vs. 1.8), and leiomyosarcoma (1.3 vs. 0.6). In particular, Black women aged 70-74 with serous carcinoma had the highest incidence (61.3) and the highest APC (7.3, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Black women have a two to four-fold higher incidence of high-risk uterine cancer subtypes, particularly serous carcinoma, carcinosarcoma, and leiomyosarcoma, compared to White women after correcting for hysterectomy and active pregnancy.

The Impact of Adjuvant Management Strategies on Outcomes in Women With Early Stage Uterine Serous Carcinoma

Objective To determine the impact of different adjuvant strategies on outcomes in women with early-stage uterine serous carcinoma (USC). Methods Our retrospective database for women with endometrial carcinoma was queried for women with 2009 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stages I-II USC who underwent surgical staging between January 1991 and April 2019 followed by adjuvant management (observation, radiation therapy (RT), chemotherapy (CT), or combined modality treatment (CRT)). Chi-square tests were performed to compare differences in outcome by type of adjuvant management. Recurrence-free survival (RFS), disease-specific survival (DSS), and overall survival (OS) were assessed by Kaplan-Meier and log-rank tests. Univariate and multivariate analyses (MVA) were performed to identify statistically significant predictors of survival endpoints. Results We identified 171 women who met our inclusion criteria. The median follow-up time was 70.5 months. Seventy-five percent of the study cohort was FIGO stage IA, 13% were stage IB, and 12% were stage II. All women underwent pelvic lymph node dissection with a median number of dissected lymph nodes of 14. Omentectomy was performed in 64% of patients. Adjuvant RT was utilized in 56% of women (65 patients received vaginal brachytherapy alone, 10 patients received pelvic RT, and 21 patients received a combination of both). The most commonly used chemotherapy regimen was carboplatin and paclitaxel with a median number of cycles of six. A total of 44% of the cohort received CRT, 12% received RT alone, 19% received chemo alone, and 25% were observed. Five-year RFS was 73% for those who received CRT, 84% for those who received RT alone, 68% for those who received CT alone, and 55% for those who were observed (p=0.13). Five-year DSS was 81%, 94%, 71%, and 60%, respectively (p=0.02). Five-year OS was 76%, 70%, 60%, and 56%, respectively (p=0.11). On MVA of OS and DSS, a higher percentage of myometrial invasion, the presence of lower uterine segment involvement, positive peritoneal cytology, and receipt of chemotherapy alone/observation were independent predictors of worse outcomes. The sole independent predictor of worse RFS on MVA was the presence of positive peritoneal cytology. Conclusion In this cohort of women with early-stage USC who underwent surgical staging, adjuvant radiation treatment with or without chemotherapy was associated with improved survival endpoints and trended toward improved recurrence rates.

Kinome Profiling of Primary Endometrial Tumors Using Multiplexed Inhibitor Beads and Mass Spectrometry Identifies SRPK1 as Candidate Therapeutic Target

Endometrial carcinoma (EC) is the most common gynecologic malignancy in the United States, with limited effective targeted therapies. Endometrial tumors exhibit frequent alterations in protein kinases, yet only a small fraction of the kinome has been therapeutically explored. To identify kinase therapeutic avenues for EC, we profiled the kinome of endometrial tumors and normal endometrial tissues using Multiplexed Inhibitor Beads and Mass Spectrometry (MIB-MS). Our proteomics analysis identified a network of kinases overexpressed in tumors, including Serine/Arginine-Rich Splicing Factor Kinase 1 (SRPK1). Immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis of endometrial tumors confirmed MIB-MS findings and showed SRPK1 protein levels were highly expressed in endometrioid and uterine serous cancer (USC) histological subtypes. Moreover, querying large-scale genomics studies of EC tumors revealed high expression of SRPK1 correlated with poor survival. Loss-of-function studies targeting SRPK1 in an established USC cell line demonstrated SRPK1 was integral for RNA splicing, as well as cell cycle progression and survival under nutrient deficient conditions. Profiling of USC cells identified a compensatory response to SRPK1 inhibition that involved EGFR and the up-regulation of IGF1R and downstream AKT signaling. Co-targeting SRPK1 and EGFR or IGF1R synergistically enhanced growth inhibition in serous and endometrioid cell lines, representing a promising combination therapy for EC.

Utility of a custom designed next generation DNA sequencing gene panel to molecularly classify endometrial cancers according to The Cancer Genome Atlas subgroups

BACKGROUND

The Cancer Genome Atlas identified four molecular subgroups of endometrial cancer with survival differences based on whole genome, transcriptomic, and proteomic characterization. Clinically accessible algorithms that reproduce this data are needed. Our aim was to determine if targeted sequencing alone allowed for molecular classification of endometrial cancer.

METHODS

Using a custom-designed 156 gene panel, we analyzed 47 endometrial cancers and matching non-tumor tissue. Variants were annotated for pathogenicity and medical records were reviewed for the clinicopathologic variables. Using molecular characteristics, tumors were classified into four subgroups. Group 1 included patients with > 570 unfiltered somatic variants, > 9 cytosine to adenine nucleotide substitutions per sample, and < 1 cytosine to guanine nucleotide substitution per sample. Group 2 included patients with any somatic mutation in MSH2, MSH6, MLH1, PMS2. Group 3 included patients with TP53 mutations without mutation in mismatch repair genes. Remaining patients were classified as group 4. Analyses were performed using SAS 9.4 (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, North Carolina, USA).

RESULTS

Endometrioid endometrial cancers had more candidate variants of potential pathogenic interest (median 6 IQR 4.13 vs. 2 IQR 2.3; p < 0.01) than uterine serous cancers. PTEN (82% vs. 15%, p < 0.01) and PIK3CA (74% vs. 23%, p < 0.01) mutations were more frequent in endometrioid than serous carcinomas. TP53 (18% vs. 77%, p < 0.01) mutations were more frequent in serous carcinomas. Visual inspection of the number of unfiltered somatic variants per sample identified six grade 3 endometrioid samples with high tumor mutational burden, all of which demonstrated POLE mutations, most commonly P286R and V411L. Of the grade 3 endometrioid carcinomas, those with POLE mutations were less likely to have risk factors necessitating adjuvant treatment than those with low tumor mutational burden. Targeted sequencing was unable to assign samples to microsatellite unstable, copy number low, and copy number high subgroups.

CONCLUSIONS

Targeted sequencing can predict the presence of POLE mutations based on the tumor mutational burden. However, targeted sequencing alone is inadequate to classify endometrial cancers into molecular subgroups identified by The Cancer Genome Atlas.

Therapeutic role of curcumin and its novel formulations in gynecological cancers

Gynecological cancers are among the leading causes of cancer-associated mortality worldwide. While the number of cases are rising, current therapeutic approaches are not efficient enough. There are considerable side-effects as well as treatment resistant types. In addition, which all make the treatment complicated for afflicted cases. Therefore, in order to improve efficacy of the treatment process and patients’ quality of life, searching for novel adjuvant treatments is highly warranted. Curcumin, a promising natural compound, is endowed with numerous therapeutic potentials including significant anticancer effects. Recently, various investigations have demonstrated the anticancer effects of curcumin and its novel analogues on gynecological cancers. Moreover, novel formulations of curcumin have resulted in further propitious effects. This review discusses these studies and highlights the possible underlying mechanisms of the observed effects.

Diagnosis, treatment and survival of uterine sarcoma: A retrospective cohort study of 122 cases

The present study aimed to assess the diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of uterine sarcoma cases. A retrospective cohort study with 122 women recruited between 2001 and 2016 was performed. The data regarding epidemiology, clinical presentation, treatment and follow-up were analyzed based on the following histological types: Carcinosarcoma, leiomyosarcoma, endometrial stromal sarcoma (ESS) and adenosarcoma. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics, logistic regression and survival curves. The diagnosis of uterine sarcoma exhibited an increasing trend of +1.2 new cases every 2 years (P=0.044) and comprised 10% of all uterine cancer diagnoses. There were 47% carcinosarcomas, 22% leiomyosarcomas, 16% ESS and 14% adenosarcomas. The majority of the women was ≥60 years old (62%). Among the subjects, 77% were postmenopausal, 61% had a body mass index up to 29.9 kg/m² and 71% presented with a comorbidity. Regression analysis exhibited an association between post menopause and the histological type associated with lower overall survival (OS), namely leiomyosarcoma or carcinosarcoma (odds ratio, 5.45, P<0.001). Stage I malignancy was present in 44% and Stage IV in 22%. The treatment included primary surgery in 78% of the cases, whereas 79% received adjuvant therapy. Only 55 cases achieved disease control and 20 relapsed (36%) with a 5-year OS rate of 33%. The OS was lower for carcinosarcoma and leiomyosarcoma (20%; P=0.003). In summary, the present study indicated that the number of uterine sarcoma cases had increased between 2001 and 2016. The majority of the women were >60 years old and diagnosed in advanced stages. The postmenopausal status was associated with histological types of poor prognosis. The OS was low and worse for patients with carcinosarcoma and leiomyosarcoma.

Uterine Cancer Mortality in White and African American Females in Southeastern North Carolina

The residents of southeastern North Carolina (NC) are exposed to multiple socioeconomic and environmental risk factors and have higher mortality rates for a number of diseases. Uterine cancer mortality is known to vary dramatically by race, so we analyzed uterine cancer mortality in populations defined by zip codes in this area to investigate the contributions of various environmental risk factors to race-specific disease patterns. Methods. Zip code specific mortality and hospital admissions for uterine cancer from 2007 to 2013 were analyzed using the NC State Center for Health Statistics data and the Inpatient Database of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project datafiles, respectively. Results were adjusted for age, income, education, health insurance coverage, prevalence of current smokers, and density of primary care providers. Results. Uterine cancer mortality rates were generally higher in African American (32.5/100,000, 95% CI = 18.9–46.1) compared to White (19.6/100,000, 95% CI = 12.3–26.9) females. Odds ratios (ORs) of uterine cancer death were higher in White females (OR = 2.27, p < 0.0001) residing within zip codes with hog concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) (hog density >215 hogs/km²) than in White females residing in non-CAFO communities. African American females living near CAFOs had less pronounced increase of uterine cancer death (OR = 1.08, p=0.7657). Conclusion. White females living in adjacent to hog CAFOs areas of southeastern NC have lower rates of mortality from uterine cancer than African American females, but they have higher odds of death compared to their counterparts living in other NC areas. African American females living near CAFOs also have modest increases from their high baseline mortality. While the observed associations do not prove a causation, improving access to screening and medical care is important to mitigate this health issues in southeastern NC.

Low molecular weight serum cell-free DNA concentration is associated with clinicopathologic indices of poor prognosis in women with uterine cancer

Background

Serum cell-free DNA (cfDNA) holds promise as a non-invasive cancer biomarker. The objective of this study was to evaluate the association of cfDNA concentration with clinicopathologic variables of poor prognosis and overall survival among women with uterine cancer compared to benign cancer-free controls.

Methods

cfDNA was extracted from the serum of 91 women with multiple uterine cancer histologies and 22 post-menopausal controls without cancer. Low molecular weight (LMW) cfDNA was separated from contaminating genomic high molecular weight cfDNA using paramagnetic bead purification and its concentration was measured using fluorometric quantification. Clinicopathologic data was abstracted from the electronic medical record. The association between serum cfDNA concentration, clinicopathologic variables, and overall survival was assessed using linear regression modelling, Cox proportional hazards modelling, and the Kaplan–Meier method.

Results

Median total serum cfDNA concentration for the cohort was 69.2 ng/mL (IQR 37.4, 132.3) and median LMW cfDNA concentration was 23.8 ng/mL (IQR 14.9, 44.4). There were no significant differences in total serum cfDNA concentration with any clinicopathologic variables. However, LMW cfDNA concentration was significantly higher in serum of women with cancer (25.8 ng/mL IQR 16.0, 49.6) compared to benign controls (15.5 ng/mL IQR 9.3, 25.8 ng/mL) (p < 0.01). It is also significantly higher among women with early stage cancer than benign controls (p < 0.01). There were also significant associations between LMW cfDNA concentration and stage of cancer (p = 0.01) and histology (p = 0.02). Patients with leiomyosarcoma and carcinosarcoma had higher cfDNA concentrations than those with endometrioid cancer. Over a median follow-up of 51.9 months, 75th percentile for overall survival for women with cancer was 24.0 months. Higher LMW cfDNA concentrations is associated with lower survival among women with cancer (p < 0.01).

Conclusions

Serum LMW cfDNA concentration is associated with overall survival in women with uterine cancer, and it is higher among women with uterine cancer compared to those of controls.

Endometrial Cancer as a Metabolic Disease with Dysregulated PI3K Signaling: Shedding Light on Novel Therapeutic Strategies

Endometrial cancer (EC) is one of the most common malignancies of the female reproductive organs. The most characteristic feature of EC is the frequent association with metabolic disorders. However, the components of these disorders that are involved in carcinogenesis remain unclear. Accumulating epidemiological studies have clearly revealed that hyperinsulinemia, which accompanies these disorders, plays central roles in the development of EC via the insulin-phosphoinositide 3 kinase (PI3K) signaling pathway as a metabolic driver. Recent comprehensive genomic analyses showed that over 90% of ECs have genomic alterations in this pathway, resulting in enhanced insulin signaling and production of optimal tumor microenvironments (TMEs). Targeting PI3K signaling is therefore an attractive treatment strategy. Several clinical trials for recurrent or advanced ECs have been attempted using PI3K-serine/threonine kinase (AKT) inhibitors. However, these agents exhibited far lower efficacy than expected, possibly due to activation of alternative pathways that compensate for the PIK3-AKT pathway and allow tumor growth, or due to adaptive mechanisms including the insulin feedback pathway that limits the efficacy of agents. Overcoming these responses with careful management of insulin levels is key to successful treatment. Further interest in specific TMEs via the insulin PI3K-pathway in obese women will provide insight into not only novel therapeutic strategies but also preventive strategies against EC.

Chemotherapy, Radiation, or Combination Therapy for Stage III Uterine Cancer

OBJECTIVE

To compare the outcomes of women with stage III uterine cancer treated with chemotherapy alone, external beam radiation alone, and combination chemotherapy and radiation.

METHODS

The National Cancer Database was used to identify women with stage III endometrioid, serous, and clear cell uterine cancer treated with either chemotherapy (with or without vaginal brachytherapy) alone, external beam radiation (with or without brachytherapy), or combination chemotherapy and external beam radiation (with or without vaginal brachytherapy) from 2004 to 2015. Survival was estimated using Cox proportional hazards models and adjusted survival curves after propensity score analysis using inverse probability of treatment weighting to balance the clinical and demographic characteristics between the cohorts.

RESULTS

Of the 20,873 patients identified, 9,456 (45.3%) received chemotherapy alone, 2,417 (11.6%) were treated with radiation alone, and 9,000 (43.1%) received chemotherapy in combination with external beam radiation. Use of combination therapy was 33.0% in 2004, and then rose to 50.5% in 2015. The mortality of the cohort was 33.1% and median survival was 115 months. Within the cohort, combination therapy was associated with a 23% reduction in mortality (hazard ratio [HR]=0.77; 95% CI 0.73-0.80) compared with chemotherapy alone. Similar findings of decreased mortality were noted in subgroup analyses for both stage IIIA (HR=0.81; 95% CI 0.68-0.98) and stage IIIC (HR=0.79; 95% CI 0.75-0.84) tumors. Similarly, when compared with radiation alone, combination therapy was accompanied by a 19% decrease in mortality (HR=0.81; 95% CI 0.73-0.89). Combination chemoradiation was associated with decreased mortality across all of the histologic subtypes.

CONCLUSION

Among women with stage III uterine cancer, combination chemotherapy and external beam radiation is associated with decreased mortality compared with chemotherapy or radiation alone.

The Prognostic Significance of Eukaryotic Translation Initiation Factors (eIFs) in Endometrial Cancer

Whilst the role of eukaryotic translation initiation factors (eIFs) has already been investigated in several human cancers, their role in endometrial cancer (EC) is relatively unknown. In the present retrospective study, 279 patients with EC (1180 samples) were included (mean age: 63.0 years, mean follow-up: 6.1 years). Samples were analysed for expression of 7 eIFs subunits (eIF2α, eIF3c, eIF3h, eIF4e, eIF4g, eIF5, eIF6) through immunohistochemistry and western blotting. Fifteen samples of healthy endometrium served as controls. Density and intensity were assessed and mean combined scores (CS) calculated for each patient. Upon immunohistochemistry, median eIF5 CS were significantly higher in EC as compared with non-neoplastic tissue (NNT, p < 0.001), whilst median eIF6 CS were significantly lower in EC (p < 0.001). Moreover, eIF5 (p = 0.002), eIF6 (p = 0.032) and eIF4g CS (p = 0.014) were significantly different when comparing NNT with EC grading types. Median eIF4g CS was higher in type II EC (p = 0.034). Upon western blot analysis, eIF4g (p < 0.001), peIF2α (p < 0.001) and eIF3h (p < 0.05) were significantly overexpressed in EC, while expression of eIF3c was significantly reduced in EC as compared with NNT (p < 0.001). The remaining eIFs were non-significant. Besides tumour stage (p < 0.001) and patient's age (p < 0.001), high eIF4g CS-levels were independently associated with poor prognosis (HR: 1.604, 95%CI: 1.037-2.483, p = 0.034). The other eIFs had no prognostic significance. Notably, the independent prognostic significance of eIF4g was lost when adding tumour type. Considering the difficulties in differentiating EC type I and II, eIF4g may serve as a novel prognostic marker indicating patient outcome.

External Beam, Brachytherapy, or Chemotherapy? Defining Adjuvant Therapy for Early-Stage and High- and High–Intermediate-Risk Endometrial Cancer

The Oncology Grand Rounds series is designed to place original reports published in the Journal into clinical context. A case presentation is followed by a description of diagnostic and management challenges, a review of the relevant literature, and a summary of the authors’ suggested management approaches. The goal of this series is to help readers better understand how to apply the results of key studies, including those published in Journal of Clinical Oncology, to patients seen in their own clinical practice.

A 54-year-old postmenopausal female with a history of stroke and carotid endarterectomy presented with 3 weeks of vaginal bleeding with passage of clots. Gynecologic exam revealed a 3-cm barrel-shaped cervix with friability at the os and no appreciable parametrial involvement. Cervical biopsy showed high-grade endometrioid adenocarcinoma. Pelvic magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a 9.9-cm × 4.5-cm × 6.2-cm mass extending from the uterus to the cervix with greater than 50% myometrial invasion (MMI; Fig 1 ). Total laparoscopic hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, and pelvic lymphadenectomy revealed International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage II endometrial cancer: a 12-cm grade 3 endometrioid adenocarcinoma with 80% MMI and lymphovascular invasion (LVI) involving the outer half of the cervical stroma ( Fig 1 ), and without pelvic lymph node involvement.

Prognostic factors, survival outcomes, and surgical practices when dealing with uterine sarcomas: 8 years’ clinical experience

Objective

To determine the clinical and pathologic characteristics, prognostic factors, surgical practice, adjuvant therapies, and survival outcomes of patients with uterine sarcoma diagnosed and treated in our institution.

Material and Methods

Patients diagnosed and treated for uterine sarcomas at our institution from 2009 to 2017 were retrospectively evaluated. All histologic slides from the specimens underwent a thorough pathologic review by a gynecologic pathologist. The following variables were assessed: age, family history of cancer, smoking status, age of menarche, parity, age at first delivery, related symptoms, clinical staging, histologic type, treatment received, disease-free period, and the time and site of recurrence, as well as treatment of the latter and overall survival.

Results

Ten patients were diagnosed as having leiomyosarcoma, a further 10 patients had malignant mixed mullerian tumors, and five had endometrial stromal sarcoma; the remaining nine patients had other tumors. At the end of our study, 12 (35.3%) patients were alive and in remission, four (11.8%) were alive with disease, 10 (29.4%) were lost to follow-up, and eight (23.5%) had died. The mean survival time was 80.92 months, and the 2-year survival rate was 75.6%. We found that survival was significantly shorter in the presence of lymph node involvement, residual tumor, and recurrence.

Conclusion

This study serves to inform physicians about the outcome of various uterine sarcomas that were diagnosed and managed at our center. We found that 35.3% of our patients were alive and in remission, 11.8% were alive with disease, 29.4% were lost to follow-up, and 23.5% of patients died.

Identification of prognosis markers for endometrial cancer by integrated analysis of DNA methylation and RNA-Seq data

Endometrial cancer is highly malignant and has a poor prognosis in the advanced stage, thus, prediction of its prognosis is important. DNA methylation has rapidly gained clinical attention as a biomarker for diagnostic, prognostic and predictive purposes in various cancers. In present study, differentially methylated positions and differentially expressed genes were identified according to DNA methylation and RNA-Seq data. Functional analyses and interaction network were performed to identify hub genes, and overall survival analysis of hub genes were validated. The top genes were evaluated by immunohistochemical staining of endometrial cancer tissues. The gene function was evaluated by cell growth curve after knockdown CDC20 and CCNA2 of endometrial cancer cell line. A total of 329 hypomethylated highly expressed genes and 359 hypermethylated lowly expressed genes were identified, and four hub genes were obtained according to the interaction network. Patients with low expression of CDC20 and CCNA2 showed better overall survival. The results also were demonstrated by the immunohistochemical staining. Cell growth curve also demonstrated that knockdown CDC20 and CCNA2 can suppress the cell proliferation. We have identified two aberrantly methylated genes, CDC20 and CCNA2 as novel biomarkers for precision diagnosis in EC.

Cancer screening in the United States, 2019: A review of current American Cancer Society guidelines and current issues in cancer screening

Each year, the American Cancer Society publishes a summary of its guidelines for early cancer detection, data and trends in cancer screening rates, and select issues related to cancer screening. In this issue of the journal, the current American Cancer Society cancer screening guidelines are summarized, and the most current data from the National Health Interview Survey are provided on the utilization of cancer screening for men and women and on the adherence of men and women to multiple recommended screening tests.

Role of less commonly agreed risk factors on disease recurrence in endometrial cancer: a propensity scorematched comparison

Objective:

To compare the clinicopathologic features of patients with endometrial cancer (EC) with recurrent disease with a primary surgery, stage, grade, and tumor histotype-matched cohort of patients without recurrence.

Materials and Methods:

Patients with EC who were surgically treated at a single tertiary care institution between 2005 and 2015 were enrolled in this study. The dataset included 381 consecutive patients with EC, of which 31 (8.1%) had disease recurrence. Data consisting of age at surgery, CA- 125 concentration at diagnosis, number of lymph nodes harvested, growth pattern of the primary tumor, location of the primary tumor within the endometrium, tumor histotype, tumor grade, disease stage, adjuvant therapy, disease recurrence, time to recurrence, CA-125 concentration at recurrence, clinical and imaging findings at recurrence, and treatment modalities used for recurrent disease were extracted from the institutional database.

Results:

After 1-to-1 propensity-score matching of patients with and without recurrence, the clinicopathologic features of 26 patients from each group were compared. Patients with recurrent disease were found to have a significantly higher CA-125 concentration at initial diagnosis (p<0.001) and different tumor growth pattern (p=0.019) than patients without disease recurrence. The papillary growth pattern of the primary tumor was significantly associated with disease recurrence as compared with polypoid and infiltrative patterns. Omental involvement, papillary tumor growth, and advanced age were associated with increased mortality.

Conclusion:

Our results indicated that higher CA-125 concentrations at initial diagnosis and papillary growth pattern of primary tumors were found to be associated with disease recurrence.

MAGE-A4 and MAGE-A1 Immunohistochemical Expression in High-grade Endometrial Cancer

The aim was to investigate MAGE-A4 and MAGE-A1 protein expression in high-grade endometrial cancer and determine its correlation with histologic subtype, FIGO stage, presence of vascular invasion, disease free, and overall survival. Immunohistochemical staining was performed by using 77B (MAGE-A1) and 57B (MAGE-A4) monoclonal antibodies on paraffin-embedded sections from high-grade endometrial cancers diagnosed in University Hospital Split between 1998 and 2011 (n=77). Median follow-up time for survivors was 48 mo. MAGE-A4 was found to be expressed in 33% of endometrioid type endometrial cancers grade 3 and in 27% of serous and clear cell carcinomas. MAGE-A1 was found to be expressed in 93% endometrioid endometrial cancer grade 3 and 86% of serous and clear cell carcinomas. Univariate analysis showed that positive immunohistochemical staining for MAGE-A4 was associated with decreased disease free and overall survival in patients with high-grade endometrial cancer. Multivariate analysis showed an association between MAGE-A4 overexpression and decreased disease free but not overall survival in high-grade endometrial cancer. No correlation was found between MAGE-A1 immunohistochemical expression and patient survival. There was no significant correlation between MAGE-A4 and MAGE-A1 expression and histologic subtype, FIGO stage, lymph node metastasis, muscular infiltration, and lymphovascular invasion. MAGE-A4 immunohistochemical expression is associated with decreased disease free and overall survival in patients with high-grade endometrial cancer. Our findings suggest that MAGE-A1 may be expressed in the epithelial cells of the normal endometrium. MAGE-A1 is highly expressed in high-grade endometrial cancer, with no impact on survival.

The Effect of Fucoidan, a Potential New, Natural, Anti-Neoplastic Agent on Uterine Sarcomas and Carcinosarcoma Cell Lines: ENITEC Collaborative Study

The aim of the study was to assess the activity of fucoidan on the uterine sarcomas (MES-SA and ESS-1) and carcinosarcoma cell lines (SK-UT-1 and SK-UT-1B) and its toxicity on the human skin fibroblasts (HSF). Two uterine sarcomas and two carcinosarcoma cell lines were examined, as a control HSF were used. Cell viability was assessed with MTT test, apoptosis with caspase-3 activity and cell cycle by assessment of DNA synthesis. Fucoidan significantly decreases cell viability in SK-UT-1, SK-UT-1B, and ESS-1 cell lines, such effect was not observed in MES-SA. Fucoidan was not substantially affecting proliferation among normal cells. The tested agent induced apoptosis in all cell cultures used in the experiment. Fucoidan affects cell cycle of all tested cell lines except MES-SA by increasing percentage of cells in G0/sub-G1/G1 phase. Fucoidan do not only affect proliferation but induces apoptosis in selected uterine sarcoma and carcinosarcoma cell lines, so it has potential to be used as cytotoxic agent. Fucoidan seems to be promising anti-cancer agent for endometrial stromal sarcoma and carcinosarcoma.

Upregulated delta-like protein 3 expression is a diagnostic and prognostic marker in endometrial cancer: A retrospective study

Upregulated delta-like protein 3 (DLL3) functions as a Notch ligand and has been a target for cancer therapy. The present study assessed DLL3 expression as a tumor marker for endometrial cancer.RNA-Seq expression data and clinicopathologic records from 545 patients with endometrial cancer were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas database. Mann-Whitney U and logistic regression tests were applied to associate the level of DLL3 expression with clinical variables from the patients. Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank tests were performed to compare overall survival of patients stratified by different levels of DLL3 expression. Multivariate Cox regression tests were used to analyze independent predictors for endometrial cancer. DLL3 expression was upregulated in endometrial cancer tissues compared to para-carcinoma tissues (P = .0003). High DLL3 expression was associated with the age of patients (odds ratio [OR] = 1.74), advanced stages of the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics system (OR = 2.9), grade III/IV (OR = 5.1), myometrial invasion (OR = 2.2), pelvic involvement (OR = 12.9), and para-aortic lymph node metastasis (OR = 9.9) (all P ≤ .001). Furthermore, upregulated DLL3 expression was also associated with a median overall survival of 112 months (HR = 1.85, confidence internal 1.202-2.846, P = .005). The multivariate analysis showed that DLL3 overexpression and advanced tumor stages, grades, and lymph node metastases were all independent prognostic predictors for endometrial cancer.The DLL3 expression could be a potential and novel tumor marker for early diagnosis and an independent predictor of poor survival for patients with endometrial cancer.

Adjuvant therapy in stage III endometrial cancer confined to the pelvis

OBJECTIVE

To review outcomes of patients with stage III endometrial cancer confined to the pelvis treated with adjuvant pelvic radiotherapy (RT) or sequential chemoradiotherapy (CRT).

METHODS

Between 1990 and 2012, 144 patients diagnosed with stage IIIA, B or C1 endometrial cancer were treated in our institution. All were treated with total hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy ± lymph node dissection. Post-operatively, 67 patients received adjuvant RT alone, 37 CRT, 21 chemotherapy alone and 19 had no adjuvant therapy. This analysis focuses on the 104 patients treated with RT or CRT.

RESULTS

The median follow-up was 61 months. Forty-six patients (44%) were stage IIIA, 6 (6%) were stage IIIB and 52 (50%) stage IIIC1. The 5-year overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS) and disease-specific survival (DSS) for patients treated by RT alone vs. CRT were, respectively, 67% vs. 61% (p = 0.55); 67% vs. 51% (p = 0.35); and 76% vs. 65% (p = 0.21). Grade 3 disease was an independent predictor for worse OS (HR = 6.01, p = 0.001), DFS (HR = 3.16, p = 0.03), and DSS (HR = 3.77, p = 0.02). In patients with grade 3 disease (n = 49), the 5-year OS was superior for the CRT (42% vs. 56%, p = 0.007).

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with stage III endometrial cancer confined to the pelvis, the addition of adjuvant chemotherapy with RT significantly improved OS in grade 3 disease. Grade 3 histology is a strong predictor for poor outcome. Further randomized studies aiming specifically at stage III disease are warranted.

Immunohistochemical Detection of Hematopoietic Cell-specific Protein-Tyrosine Phosphatase (Tyrosine Phosphatase SHP-1) in a Series of Endometrioid and Serous Endometrial Carcinoma

In this study, we evaluated the expression of SHP-1 (PTPN6) in endometrioid (Ec) and serous (Sc) subtypes of endometrial carcinoma by immunohistochemical analysis. In total, 114 patients with Ec carcinoma and 48 patients with Sc carcinoma were enrolled in this study. The correlation between the type of histology, the grade of tumor, the stage of development, and immunoreactivity to SHP-1 was evaluated. Kaplan-Meier and multivariate survival analyses, using a Cox regression model, were performed to establish whether this marker has prognostic value in these malignancies, on the basis of follow-up and stratification of the patients according to their SHP-1 immunoreactivity. A significantly higher SHP-1 expression was observed in the Ec group compared with the Sc group (P=0.0005, Fisher exact test). In the Ec group, SHP-1 immunoreactivity was correlated with grading, demonstrating that more differentiated lesions expressed SHP-1 more frequently than less differentiated neoplasms (G1 vs. G2, P=0.0243, statistically significant value, Fisher exact test; G1 vs. G3, P=0.0088, extremely significant value, Fisher exact test). Instead, in the Sc group, SHP-1 expression was not correlated with grading, as Sc is now defined as a high-grade carcinoma. SHP-1 expression did not change with neoplastic progression in Ec and Sc groups. From both univariate and multivariate analysis in the Ec group, expression of SHP-1 remained a positive prognostic factor (P=0.004, log-rank test) [HR=0.32 (0.11 to 0.94), P=0.039]. In contrast, in the Sc group, no correlation between SHP-1 expression and survival was noted (P=0.77, log-rank test). In this study, we observed that the absence of SHP-1 in immunohistochemical analysis might serve as a marker of poor prognosis for a subset of high-grade endometrial cancer.

Cost-effectiveness of Population-Based BRCA1, BRCA2, RAD51C, RAD51D, BRIP1, PALB2 Mutation Testing in Unselected General Population Women

Background

The cost-effectiveness of population-based panel testing for high- and moderate-penetrance ovarian cancer (OC)/breast cancer (BC) gene mutations is unknown. We evaluate the cost-effectiveness of population-based BRCA1/BRCA2/RAD51C/RAD51D/BRIP1/PALB2 mutation testing compared with clinical criteria/family history (FH) testing in unselected general population women.

Methods

A decision-analytic model comparing lifetime costs and effects of criteria/FH-based BRCA1/BRCA2 testing is compared with BRCA1/BRCA2/RAD51C/RAD51D/BRIP1/PALB2 testing in those fulfilling clinical criteria/strong FH of cancer (≥10% BRCA1/BRCA2 probability) and all women age 30 years or older. Analyses are presented for UK and US populations. Identified carriers undergo risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy. BRCA1/BRCA2/PALB2 carriers can opt for magnetic resonance imaging/mammography, chemoprevention, or risk-reducing mastectomy. One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analysis (PSA) enabled model uncertainty evaluation. Outcomes include OC, BC, and additional heart disease deaths. Quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), OC incidence, BC incidence, and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) were calculated. The time horizon is lifetime and perspective is payer.

Results

Compared with clinical criteria/FH-based BRCA1/BRCA2 testing, clinical criteria/FH-based BRCA1/BRCA2/RAD51C/RAD51D/BRIP1/PALB2 testing is cost-effective (ICER = £7629.65/QALY or $49 282.19/QALY; 0.04 days' life-expectancy gained). Population-based testing for BRCA1/BRCA2/RAD51C/RAD51D/BRIP1/PALB2 mutations is the most cost-effective strategy compared with current policy: ICER = £21 599.96/QALY or $54 769.78/QALY (9.34 or 7.57 days' life-expectancy gained). At £30 000/QALY and $100 000/QALY willingness-to-pay thresholds, population-based BRCA1/BRCA2/RAD51C/RAD51D/BRIP1/PALB2 panel testing is the preferred strategy in 83.7% and 92.7% of PSA simulations; criteria/FH-based panel testing is preferred in 16.2% and 5.8% of simulations, respectively. Population-based BRCA1/BRCA2/RAD51C/RAD51D/BRIP1/PALB2 testing can prevent 1.86%/1.91% of BC and 3.2%/4.88% of OC in UK/US women: 657/655 OC cases and 2420/2386 BC cases prevented per million.

Conclusions

Population-based BRCA1/BRCA2/RAD51C/RAD51D/BRIP1/PALB2 testing is more cost-effective than any clinical criteria/FH-based strategy. Clinical criteria/FH-based BRCA1/BRCA2/RAD51C/RAD51D/BRIP1/PALB2 testing is more cost-effective than BRCA1/BRCA2 testing alone.

Nestin suppression attenuates invasive potential of endometrial cancer cells by downregulating TGF-β signaling pathway

Nestin, an intermediate filament protein and a stem cell marker is expressed in several tumors. Until recently, little was known about the expression levels and the role of Nestin in endometrial cancer. Compared to the immortalized endometrial epithelial cell line EM-E6/E7-TERT, endometrial cancer cell lines express high to moderate levels of Nestin. Furthermore, endometrial tumors and tumor cell lines have a cancer stem-like cell subpopulation expressing CD133. Among the cancer lines, AN3CA and KLE cells exhibited both a significantly higher number of CD133+ cells and expressed Nestin at higher levels than Ishikawa cells. Knockdown of Nestin in AN3CA and KLE increased cells in G0/G1 phase of the cell cycle, whereas overexpression in Ishikawa decreased cells in G0/G1 phase and increased cells in S-phase. Nestin knockdown cells showed increased p21, p27, and PNCA levels and decreased expression of cyclin-D1 and D3. In contrast, Nestin overexpression revealed an inverse expression pattern of cell cycle regulatory proteins. Nestin knockdown inhibited cancer cell growth and invasive potential by downregulating TGF-β signaling components, MMP-2, MMP-9, vimentin, SNAIL, SLUG, Twist, N-cadherin, and upregulating the epithelial cell marker E-cadherin whereas the opposite was observed with Nestin overexpressing Ishikawa cells. Nestin knockdown also inhibited, while overexpression promoted invadopodia formation and pFAK expression. Knockdown of Nestin significantly reduced tumor volume in vivo. Finally, progesterone inhibited Nestin expression in endometrial cancer cells. These results suggest that Nestin can be a therapeutic target for cancer treatment.

Are the uterine serous carcinomas underdiagnosed? Histomorphologic and immunohistochemical correlates and clinical follow up in high-grade endometrial carcinomas initially diagnosed as high-grade endometrioid carcinoma

Histologic subclassification of high-grade endometrial carcinomas can sometimes be a diagnostic challenge when based on histomorphology alone. Here we utilized immunohistochemical markers to determine the immunophenotype in histologically ambiguous high-grade endometrial carcinomas that were initially diagnosed as pure or mixed high-grade endometrioid carcinoma, aiming to determine the utility of selected immunohistochemical panel in accurate classification of these distinct tumor types, while correlating these findings with the clinical outcome. A total of 43 high-grade endometrial carcinoma cases initially classified as pure high-grade endometrioid carcinoma (n=32), mixed high-grade endometrioid carcinoma/serous carcinoma (n=9) and mixed high-grade endometrioid carcinoma/clear cell carcinoma (n=2) were retrospectively stained with a panel of immunostains, including antibodies for p53, p16, estrogen receptor, and mammaglobin. Clinical follow-up data were obtained, and stage-to-stage disease outcomes were compared for different tumor types. Based on aberrant staining for p53 and p16, 17/43 (40%) of the high-grade endometrial carcinoma cases initially diagnosed as high-grade endometrioid carcinoma were re-classified as serous carcinoma. All 17 cases showed negative staining for mammaglobin, while estrogen receptor was positive in only 6 (35%) cases. The remaining 26 cases of high-grade endometrioid carcinoma showed wild-type staining for p53 in 25 (96%) cases, patchy staining for p16 in 20 (77%) cases, and were positive for mammaglobin and estrogen receptor in 8 (31%) and 19 (73%) cases, respectively, thus the initial diagnosis of high-grade endometrioid carcinoma was confirmed in these cases. In addition, the patients with re-classified serous carcinoma had advanced clinical stages at diagnosis and poorer overall survival on clinical follow-up compared to that of the remaining 26 high-grade endometrioid carcinoma cases. These results indicate that selected immunohistochemical panel, including p53, p16, and mammaglobin can be helpful in reaching accurate diagnosis in cases of histomorphologically ambiguous endometrial carcinomas, and can assist in providing guidance for appropriate therapeutic options for the patients.

Clinicopathologic Characteristics of Endometrial Cancer in Lynch Syndrome: A French Multicenter Study

BACKGROUND

Limited data exist on Lynch syndrome (LS)-related endometrial cancer (EC) features. Amsterdam criteria II, commonly used, have poor sensitivity for detection of LS, which is underdiagnosed.

AIM

The aim of this study was to describe the clinical and pathological features of LS-related EC among mutation-proven patients.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective study from 1977 to 2013 in 5 hospitals. The inclusion criteria were patients who had a primary EC associated to LS proven by a germline mutation. We analyzed the clinical data and the pathology of the tumors. The patient management and the survival data were also collected.

RESULTS

Forty-nine patients (15 MLH1, 20 MSH2, 13 MSH6, 1 PMS2) were included. The mean age at diagnosis was 49.7 (SD, 10.5) years. The median body mass index was 22.6 kg/m. In 81.4% of cases, EC was the first cancer of the LS spectrum to occur. Endometrioid adenocarcinoma accounted for 89.2% of the EC, the lower uterine segment was involved in 25% of cases, and a synchronous ovarian cancer was present in 21.6% of patients. The tumors were grade 3 in 19.3% of cases and FIGO (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics) stage I in 66.6% of cases. With a median follow-up of 58 months, 3 patients with conservative management developed a recurrence, and no patient died of EC.

CONCLUSIONS

The LS-associated EC is characterized by a young age at onset, a high prevalence of lower uterine segment involvement, and synchronous ovarian cancers. The prognosis of these cancers does not appear different from sporadic tumors.

Assessing the effect of guideline introduction on clinical practice and outcome in patients with endometrial cancer in Japan: a project of the Japan Society of Gynecologic Oncology (JSGO) guideline evaluation committee

Objective

The Japan Society of Gynecologic Oncology (JSGO) published the first practice guideline for endometrial cancer in 2006. The JSGO guideline evaluation committee assessed the effect of this guideline introduction on clinical practice and patient outcome using data provided by the Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology (JSOG) cancer registration system.

Methods

Data of patients with endometrial cancer registered between 2000 and 2012 were analyzed, and epidemiological and clinical trends were assessed. The influence of guideline introduction on survival was determined by analyzing data of patients registered between 2004 and 2009 using competing risk model.

Results

In total, 65,241 cases of endometrial cancer were registered. Total number of patients registered each year increased about 3 times in the analyzed period, and the proportion of older patients with type II endometrial cancer rapidly increased. The frequency of lymphadenectomy had decreased not only among the low-recurrence risk group but also among the intermediate- or high-recurrence risk group. Adjuvant therapy was integrated into chemotherapy (p<0.001). Overall survival did not significantly differ before and after the guideline introduction (hazard ratio [HR]=0.891; p=0.160). Additional analyses revealed patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy showed better prognosis than those receiving adjuvant radiation therapy when limited to stage I or II (HR= 0.598; p=0.003).

Conclusion

It was suggested that guideline introduction influenced the management of endometrial cancer at several aspects. Better organized information and continuous evaluation are necessary to understand the causal relationship between the guideline and patient outcome.

Identification of DNA methylation associated gene signatures in endometrial cancer via integrated analysis of DNA methylation and gene expression systematically

Objective

Endometrial cancer (EC) is a common gynecologic cancer worldwide. However, the pathogenesis of EC has not been epigenetically elucidated. Here, this study aims to describe the DNA methylation profile and identify favorable gene signatures highly associated with aberrant DNA methylation changes in EC.

Methods

The data regarding DNA methylation and gene expression were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Differentially methylated CpG sites (DMCs), differentially methylated regions (DMRs), and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, and the relationship between the 2 omics was further analyzed. In addition, weighted CpG site co-methylation network (WCCN) was constructed followed by an integrated analysis of DNA methylation and gene expression data.

Results

Four hundred thirty-one tumor tissues and 46 tissues adjacent tumor of EC patients were analyzed. One thousand one hundred thirty-five DMCs (merging to 10 DMRs), and 1,488 DEGs were obtained between tumor and normal groups, respectively. One hundred forty-eight DMCs-DEGs correlated pairs and 13 regional DMCs-DEGs pairs were obtained. Interestingly, we found that some hub genes in 2 modules among 8 modules of WCCN analysis were down-regulated in tumor samples. Furthermore, protocadherins (PCDHs) clusters, DDP6, TNXB, and ZNF154 were identified as novel deregulated genes with altered methylation in EC.

Conclusion

Based on the analysis of DNA methylation in a systematic view, the potential long-range epigenetic silencing (LRES) composed of PCDHs was reported in ECs for the first time. PCDHs clusters, DDP6, and TNXB were firstly found to be associated with tumorigenesis, and may be novel candidate biomarkers for EC.

Microsatellite instability is a biomarker for immune checkpoint inhibitors in endometrial cancer

In recent years, it has become evident that tumor cells have immune escape mechanisms, and immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy (anti-PD-1/PD-L1 antibody) has shown benefit in various cancers. In endometrial tumors with microsatellite-instability (MSI), somatic mutations have the potential to encode ''non-self'' immunogenic antigens, and lymphocytes have been shown to infiltrate the tumor. Therefore, immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy might be effective in endometrial cancers with MSI. Expression of mismatch repair (MMR) proteins (MLH1, PMS2, MSH2, and MSH6), the presence of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (CD8+), and PD-1/PD-L1 expression were assessed by immunohistochemistry in 149 patients with endometrial cancer. We examined whether tumors with MSI had an enhanced immune microenvironment and whether MSI could be a predictor of the therapeutic effect of PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy in endometrial cancer. Loss of MMR protein expression was identified in 42 (28.2%) of 149 patients (MSI group) with endometrial cancer. There was no significant relationship between MSI status and age (p = 0.193), histological grade (p = 0.097), FIGO stage (p = 0.508), pelvic lymph node metastasis (p = 0.139), or depth of myometrial invasion (p = 0.494). However, the presence of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (CD8+) and PD-L1/PD-1 expression were significantly higher in the MSI group compared to the microsatellite-stable group (p = 0.002, p = 0.001, and p = 0.008, respectively). These results suggest that immune checkpoint inhibitors (anti-PD-1/PD-L1 antibody) could be effective in endometrial cancers with MSI. The presence of MSI may be a biomarker for good response to PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy in endometrial cancer.