Tamoxifen use and endometrial lesions: hysteroscopic, histological, and immunohistochemical findings in postmenopausal women with breast cancer

Is It Possible to Prevent Nontherapeutic Laparotomies in Breast Cancer Patients With Isolated Adnexal Masses?

Introduction: The risk of ovarian malignancy is increasing in patients with a history of breast cancer. Thus, well-defined predictors of ovarian malignancy should be identified to determine surgical or conservative management of adnexal masses in women with breast cancer. This study aimed to clarify the predictors of malignant ovarian tumors in patients with breast cancer with an isolated adnexal mass. Methods: Breast cancer patients diagnosed with an adnexal mass who underwent surgery between 2010 and 2021 at a tertiary cancer center were included in the study. Patients with suspected extra ovarian metastases were excluded. Results: A total of 40 breast cancer patients who underwent surgery for ovarian masses were identified. 23 (57.5%) women had benign ovarian tumors and 17 (42.5%) had malignant ovarian tumors. Among the malignant ovarian tumors, there were three (17.6%) metastatic breast cancers in the ovary and 14 (82.4%) primary ovarian cancers. In univariate analyses, the risk of malignant ovarian tumors increased in women with age >52 years (P = .012), postmenopausal status (P = .023), CA 125 ≥ 35 IU/ml (P = .001), CA 15-3 ≥ 32 IU/ml (P = .002), and complex ovarian masses (P < .001). Ovarian malignancies were observed in 82.4% of patients who had complex ovarian masses. Conclusion: Ovarian malignancies were diagnosed in 82.4% of the breast cancers who had complex ovarian mass on USG examination. Therefore, surgery is recommended in women with complex ovarian masses. Postmenopausal status, age >52 years, CA 125 ≥ 35 IU/ml, and CA 15-3 ≥ 32 were other risk factors for ovarian malignancy.

Risk of endometrial malignancy in women treated for breast cancer: the BLUSH prediction model - evidence from a comprehensive multicentric retrospective cohort study

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to evaluate characteristics of endometrial surveillance in women treated for breast cancer to build a clinical prediction model.

DESIGN

A multicentric retrospective cohort study was conducted at two tertiary-care university hospitals from January 2020 to June 2023. Perimenopausal and postmenopausal women treated for breast cancer were categorized into two groups: patients with and without diagnosis of endometrial malignancy (endometrial carcinoma) or premalignancy (atypical endometrial hyperplasia). Characteristics of breast cancer and ultrasonographic and hysteroscopic examinations were compared. A prediction model for endometrial malignancy was built using logistic regression. Predictive accuracy was assessed using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and goodness of fit using the Hosmer-Lemeshow test.

RESULTS

One hundred and thirty-two (28 with premalignancy or malignancy and 104 without malignancy) women were analyzed. A nomogram was produced for prediction model development utilizing the presence and duration in months of abnormal uterine (BL)eeding, ultrasound (US) vascular pattern and echogenicity and (H)ysteroscopic appearance of endometrium (BLUSH) as determined by logistic regression. Sensitivity and specificity were 79.17% and 95.19%, respectively, with an area under ROC curve of 0.965, indicating good accuracy. Good goodness of fit and prediction stability were indicated by the calibration curve and Hosmer-Lemeshow test (χ2 = 26.36; p = 0.999).

CONCLUSIONS

Breast cancer survivors undergoing endometrial surveillance might benefit from a potentially useful prediction model based on hysteroscopic appearance, ultrasonographic uniformity of endometrium, Doppler flow and presence of abnormal uterine bleeding.

Whole-lesion apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) histogram as a quantitative biomarker to preoperatively differentiate stage IA endometrial carcinoma from benign endometrial lesions

BACKGROUND

To assess the value of whole-lesion apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) histogram analysis in differentiating stage IA endometrial carcinoma (EC) from benign endometrial lesions (BELs) and characterizing histopathologic features of stage IA EC preoperatively.

METHODS

One hundred and six BEL and 126 stage IA EC patients were retrospectively enrolled. Eighteen volumetric histogram parameters were extracted from the ADC map of each lesion. The Mann-Whitney U or Student's t-test was used to compare the differences between the two groups. Models based on clinical parameters and histogram features were established using multivariate logistic regression. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis and calibration curves were used to assess the models.

RESULTS

Stage IA EC showed lower ADC_10th, ADC_90th, ADC_min, ADC_max, ADC_mean, ADC_median, interquartile range, mean absolute deviation, robust mean absolute deviation (rMAD), root mean squared, energy, total energy, entropy, variance, and higher skewness, kurtosis and uniformity than BELs (all p < 0.05). ADC_median yielded the highest area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.928 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.895-0.960; cut-off value = 1.161 × 10^-3 mm²/s) for differentiating stage IA EC from BELs. Moreover, multivariate analysis demonstrated that ADC-score (ADC_10th + skewness + rMAD + total energy) was the only significant independent predictor (OR = 2.641, 95% CI 2.045-3.411; p < 0.001) for stage IA EC when considering clinical parameters. This ADC histogram model (ADC-score) achieved an AUC of 0.941 and a bias-corrected AUC of 0.937 after bootstrap resampling. The model performed well for both premenopausal (accuracy = 0.871) and postmenopausal (accuracy = 0.905) patients. Besides, ADC_min and ADC_10th were significantly lower in Grade 3 than in Grade 1/2 stage IA EC (p = 0.022 and 0.047). At the same time, no correlation was found between ADC histogram parameters and the expression of Ki-67 in stage IA EC (all p > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Whole-lesion ADC histogram analysis could serve as an imaging biomarker for differentiating stage IA EC from BELs and assisting in tumor grading of stage IA EC, thus facilitating personalized clinical management for premenopausal and postmenopausal patients.

The evaluation of laparotomy results in breast cancer patients with gynecological pathologies

AIM

The aim of the study was to evaluate the results of the laparotomies due to gynecological pathologies in breast cancer patients and to assess the distribution of gynecological pathologies and the clinical and laboratory findings contributing to the diagnosis.

METHODS

This study was conducted between years 2002 and 2011 at Hacettepe University Hospital. We obtained information about 86 consecutive breast cancer patients, including age, time of diagnosis and pathology of breast cancer, hormone receptor status, history of endocrine therapy, presenting symptoms, ultrasonography findings, CA 125 levels, endometrial biopsy results, type of gynecological surgery and pathology results. Data were analyzed with the use of SPSS software.

RESULTS

Twenty-one (24.4%) out of 86 patients had endometrial pathology, and 24 (27.9%) had adnexal pathology. Fourteen patients (16.2%) had malignant pathology, and of them, 11 had ovarian cancer 3 had endometrial cancer. There were five abnormal cytological findings: 2 ASCUS, 1 LSIL, 1 ASC-H and 1 adenocarcinoma. The patient with the cytology report of adenocarcinoma had the final diagnosis of endometrial cancer. Of the patients, 67 (77.9%) used tamoxifen, whereas 19 (22.1%) did not. Thirty-three patients (38.4%) with gynecological pathologies were detected incidentally during routine follow-up of breast cancer.

CONCLUSION

This study supports the increase of the gynecological pathology incidence in breast cancer patients and the recommendation of close gynecological follow-up in these patients. Asymptomatic patients might also develop genital cancer. The ultrasonographic appearance of the adnexal masses or endometrial thickness and any abnormal vaginal bleeding or high CA 125 levels are important parameters for evaluating breast cancer patients.

Endometrial Cancer Risk Prediction According to Indication of Diagnostic Hysteroscopy in Post-Menopausal Women

We conducted a prospective observational study investigating the clinical relevance of endometrial thickness (ET) and abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) on endometrial cancer (EC) risk in a cohort of postmenopausal patients undergoing diagnostic hysteroscopy and endometrial biopsy. Patients were divided into two groups according to the indication of diagnostic hysteroscopy: ET_Group (asymptomatic patients with endometrial thickness ≥ 4 mm) and AUB_Group (patients with a history of abnormal uterine bleeding). We further divided the AUB_Group into two subgroups based on endometrial thickness (AUB_Subgroup1: ET < 4 mm; AUB_Subgroup2: ET ≥ 4 mm). The primary outcome was the risk of endometrial cancer and atypical hyperplasia according to the indications of diagnostic hysteroscopy (AUB, ET ≥ 4 mm or both). The secondary outcome was to determine the best cut-off value of endometrial thickness to predict endometrial cancer in asymptomatic postmenopausal women. The prevalence of endometrial cancer and atypical hyperplasia in AUB_Group and ET_Group was 21% and 6.7% respectively. As well as for EC alone, higher prevalence of both conditions was observed in AUB_Subgroup2 (29.3%) in comparison to AUB_Subgroup1 (10.6%; p < 0.001). In asymptomatic patients the cut-off of endometrial thickness that showed the best sensitivity and specificity to diagnose endometrial cancer (100% and 80% respectively) was 11 mm (AUC of 91.4%; Expβ: 1067; CI 95%). In conclusion, considering the high risk of neoplasia, diagnostic hysteroscopy with endometrial biopsy should be mandatory in cases of abnormal uterine bleeding in postmenopausal patients. Moreover, we want to emphasize the need for further evidence stating the clinical relevance of endometrial thickness value in asymptomatic patients and the impact of individual risk factors on endometrial cancer development.

Hysteroscopic Evaluation of Endometrial Changes in Breast Cancer Women with or without Hormone Therapies: Results from a Large Multicenter Cohort Study

STUDY OBJECTIVE

The primary aim of our study was to investigate the incidence of endometrial pathologies, especially endometrial cancer, in women with breast cancer treated with tamoxifen (TAM), aromatase inhibitors (AIs), or receiving no treatment (NT). The secondary aim was to identify, in this cohort, ultrasonographic findings that represent robust indications for hysteroscopy and endometrial biopsy, to avoid unnecessary second-level diagnostic procedures.

DESIGN

Multicenter retrospective cohort study (Clinical Trial ID: NCT03898947).

SETTING

Data were collected from different Italian centers: Regina Elena National Cancer Institute of Rome, Arbor Vitae Centre of Rome, Gaetano Martino University Hospital of Messina, and Villa Sofia-Cervello Hospital of Palermo.

PATIENTS

We selected and consecutively included patients with a history of breast cancer who had undergone hysteroscopy for ultrasonographic or clinical indications between January 2007 and December 2016.

INTERVENTIONS

Diagnostic hysteroscopy with endometrial biopsy or operative hysteroscopy, when clinically indicated.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

A higher percentage of patients in the TAM and AI groups had a normal endometrium compared with those in the NT group, whereas the incidence of endometrial polyps was higher in the NT group than in the others; no significant differences were observed among the 3 groups for other benign conditions or for premalignant and malignant uterine diseases, such as endometrial atypical hyperplasia and adenocarcinoma.

CONCLUSION

TAM treatment does not seem to be associated with a higher rate of endometrial cancer in women with breast cancer compared with women treated with AIs or NT.

Tamoxifen use as a malignancy risk factor in postmenopausal women with endometrial polyps

OBJECTIVE

We analyzed tamoxifen use as a malignancy risk factor in women with endometrial polyps.

METHODS

This retrospective study included 675 women who underwent hysteroscopic polypectomy in 2010 to 2015 at the University of Campinas. Women were divided into tamoxifen use (n = 169) and no tamoxifen use (n = 506) groups. The primary outcome was endometrial cancer prevalence. Dependent variables included age, parity, years since menopause, presence of abnormal uterine bleeding, endometrial pattern on hysteroscopy, and endometrial thickness.

RESULTS

There were seven cases of endometrial cancer in the tamoxifen use group (4.14%) and 41 in the no tamoxifen use group (8.1%; P = 0.083). On performing multivariate analysis, tamoxifen use was not a risk factor for endometrial cancer (prevalence ratio 0.51, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.23-1.14, P = 0.101). The no tamoxifen use group had an increased prevalence of malignancy when women presented with abnormal uterine bleeding (prevalence ratio 3.9, 95% CI 2.08-7.29, P < 0.001), age >60 years (prevalence ratio 2.1, 95% CI 1.12-3.93, P = 0.021), or nulliparous status (prevalence ratio 3.13, 95% CI 1.55-6.35, P = 0.002). The tamoxifen use group had increased prevalence of malignancy when women were >60 years (prevalence ratio 7.85, 95% CI 1.05-58.87, P = 0.006) or nulliparous (prevalence ratio 8.36, 95% CI 2.32-30.11, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Tamoxifen use was not related with a higher prevalence of endometrial cancer in women with endometrial polyps. Abnormal uterine bleeding, age > 60 years, and nulliparous status were associated with malignancy.

Four years of experience in our clinic regarding hysteroscopies for abnormal uterine hemorrhages

Introduction. Abnormal uterine hemorrhages (AUH) are the most common symptom for presentation to gynecologist. Any uterine bleeding other than menstrual bleeding, which concerns the duration, frequency, quality or quantity of the bleeding is considered abnormal. Material and Methods. We realized a retrospective study based on medical records of the patients admitted for abnormal uterine hemorrhage at “Saint John” Emergency Clinical Hospital, “Bucur” Maternity between 2013 and 2016. From the patients with AUH, we focused on those who underwent hysteroscopies. Results. Our study included 146 patients. The age of patients varied from 22 to 71 years. Abnormal uterine bleeding was most prevalent among women of 40-50 years (20%), and the mean age was 42.65%. 82.88% from our patients had obstetrical history and only 17.12% didn’t give birth either as an option, or from primary or secondary infertility. 7.53% of the patients were hypertensive and 5.48% had endocrine pathology. All patients underwent diagnostic hysteroscopy and 4.79% patients therapeutic hysteroscopy. The therapeutic measures that were made are: hysteroscopic resection of the endometrium (47.3%), excision of polyps (36.99%), sinechiolysis (8.22%) and myomectomy (2.71%). The diagnoses were 46.48% endometrial polyp, 13.7% intramural leiomyoma, 13.7% IUD (intrauterine device) and 9.59% intrauterine synechiae, while 15.06% cumulated for uterine septum, endometrial hyperplasia, cervical polyp, foreign intrauterine bodies, secondary infertility, dysfunctional metrorrhagia. Conclusions. In patients with abnormal uterine hemorrhages, hysteroscopy provides the most accurate diagnosis and can reduce the burden of hysterectomy in many cases.

Differences in estrogen and progesterone receptor expression in endometrial polyps and atrophic endometrium of postmenopausal women with and without exposure to tamoxifen

Postmenopausal women who use tamoxifen present with an increased incidence of endometrial alterations, such as polyps and hyperplasia, in addition to a higher risk of malignant endometrial neoplasms. Among these endometrial changes, polyps are the most common, with a pathogenesis associated with hormonal influence. The objective of this study was to compare the expression of estrogen receptors (ERs) and progesterone receptors (PRs) in endometrial polyps from tamoxifen users with that in endometrial polyps and the atrophic endometrium of postmenopausal tamoxifen non-users. Among women undergoing surgical hysteroscopy, 84 tamoxifen users with benign endometrial polyps were selected. This group was compared to 84 samples of atrophic endometrium and to 252 benign polyps from postmenopausal women who were not treated with tamoxifen. The expression of ER/PR was assessed by immunohistochemical analysis, according to the percentage of stained cells, intensity of nuclear staining and final score. The polyps from tamoxifen users exhibited a higher expression of ER and PR in the glandular epithelium and stroma compared to the atrophic endometrium (P<0.0001). Compared to the polyps from women not treated with tamoxifen, tamoxifen users exhibited a higher PR expression in the epithelium (P=0.0014) and stroma (P=0.0056), with no difference in the expression of ER. In conclusion, endometrial polyps frequently exhibit an increase in ER expression, regardless of tamoxifen use. High levels of PR expression appear to be consistent with the estrogen agonist effects of tamoxifen.

Prophylactic use of levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system in women with breast cancer treated with tamoxifen: a randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVE

To estimate the rate of endometrial pathology with the prophylactic use of levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system in women with breast cancer treated with tamoxifen.

METHODS

This was a randomized contro-lled trial of 129 Chinese women who attended a university hospital in Hong Kong and required adjuvant tamoxifen for breast cancer after the completion of postoperative radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Women were randomized to treatment (prophylactic levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system insertion before the commencement of tamoxifen) or control group. The uterine cavity was examined by hysteroscopy and endometrial sampling before the commencement of tamoxifen and at 12, 24, 45, and 60 months afterward. Any endometrial polyps or submucosal fibroids were resected through hysteroscopy at each assessment and specimens were sent for histologic confirmation.

RESULTS

A total of 94 women completed 5-year follow-up. There was no significant difference in the occurrence of submucosal fibroids (1 [1.8%] compared with 2 [3.4%]) and endometrial hyperplasia (both 0) in the treatment and control groups, respectively. Levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system significantly reduced de novo endometrial polyps (hazard ratio 0.19, 95% confidence interval 0.07-0.48) over the course of 5 years on an intention-to-treat basis. There was no statistically significant increase in breast cancer recurrence rate (10 [17.2%] compared with 6 [10.0%]) or cancer-related deaths (6 [10.3%] compared with 5 [8.3%]) in the treatment group, but the study was underpowered in this regard.

CONCLUSIONS

Prophylactic levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system prevents de novo endometrial polyps in women using tamoxifen. However, its role in the prevention of endometrial hyperplasia and adenocarcinoma as well as its effect on risk of breast cancer recurrence remain uncertain.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, http://www.chictr.org/en/, ChiCTR-TRC-09000625.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

I.

Urogenital disorders in women with adjuvant endocrine therapy after early breast cancer

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the prevalence of urogenital symptoms and vaginal atrophy in postmenopausal breast cancer patients on adjuvant endocrine therapy.

STUDY DESIGN

A population-based, cross-sectional study on postmenopausal breast cancer patients on adjuvant endocrine treatment and age-matched control subjects. Vaginal atrophy was assessed by gynecologic examination and atrophy-related symptoms by validated questionnaires.

RESULTS

In all, 57.6% of aromatase inhibitor-treated and 32.4% of tamoxifen-treated breast cancer patients rated at least 1 vaginal atrophy symptom as moderate/severe, which was significantly more common than in control subjects (P < .01). Aromatase inhibitor-treated patients more often had moderate or severe vaginal atrophy (P < .05), a more atrophic cytohormonal evaluation, and significantly higher vaginal pH (P < .05) than all control subjects, irrespective of hormonal use.

CONCLUSION

Our findings indicate that the frequency of vaginal atrophy symptoms, particularly in aromatase inhibitor-treated women, might have been underestimated in previous clinical trials.

Unusual case of a sigmoid mass

BACKGROUND

Endometrial carcinoma is a relatively common condition which may occur with more than 6,400 new cases diagnosed each year in the UK (Cancer Research UK Statistics http://info.cancerresearchuk.org/cancerstats/types/uterus ). It may occur following hysterectomy especially if associated with prolonged hormone replacement therapy.

CASE

We report the case of a 63-year-old lady who presented with a tumour in the sigmoid mesentery 13 years after hysterectomy and following 10 years of tamoxifen therapy for a breast carcinoma. This is the first time that endometrial cancer has been reported as a complication of tamoxifen therapy in the absence of a uterus.

CONCLUSION

We suggest that endometrial carcinoma remains a differential diagnosis of any pelvic or abdominal mass even after hysterectomy, and a history of intake of oestrogen agonists and antagonists needs to be obtained.

Abnormal uterine bleeding: a focus on polycystic ovary syndrome

Abnormal uterine bleeding imposes major medical, social and financial problems for women, their families and the health services. Abnormal uterine bleeding refers to the regularity, frequency, duration and volume of bleeding. Irregular menstrual bleeding is most common at the extremes of reproductive life, in the initial 12-18 months after menarche and 5-6 years before the menopause begins. In Australia, the estimated cost of investigating and managing heavy menstrual bleeding alone is approximately AUS $6 million per annum. This article addresses the common causes of irregular bleeding in pre- and peri-menopausal women and presents an investigational approach.