The combined GnRH-agonist and intrauterine levonorgestrel-releasing system treatment of complicated atypical hyperplasia and endometrial cancer: a pilot study

The oncological and reproductive outcomes of fertility-preserving treatments for stage 1 grade 1 endometrial carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

The number of patients desiring fertility-preserving treatment for endometrial cancer rather than standard surgical management continues to increase.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to evaluate the efficacies of fertility-preserving treatments on the live birth rate, remission and relapse rates for women with stage 1a grade 1 endometrial carcinoma to support patient counselling.

METHODS

We performed a meta-analysis for our primary outcomes of overall remission and relapse rate, and for secondary analysis, we divided papers into treatment type: systemic progestins, intrauterine progestins or hysteroscopic resection and adjuvant hormonal treatment.

RESULTS

Thirty-five observational studies met inclusion criteria, with a total of 624 patients. Overall, conservative treatment of endometrial cancer showed a remission rate of 77% (95% CI: 70-84%), a relapse rate of 20% (95% CI: 13-27%) and a live birth rate of 20% (95% CI: 15-25%) with more favourable outcomes for the hysteroscopic resection group.

CONCLUSIONS

Hysteroscopic resection and adjuvant hormonal treatment had the most favourable fertility and oncological outcomes. Further high-quality prospective multi-centre trials are warranted to determine the optimal treatment regimen and dosage and risk stratification for these patients.

Fertility-preserving treatment for stage IA endometrial cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

The increasing use of fertility-preserving treatments in reproductive-aged patients with early-stage endometrial cancer necessitates robust evidence on the effectiveness of oral progestins and levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine device. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine the outcomes following these 2 primary progestin-based therapies in reproductive-aged patients with early-stage endometrial cancer.

DATA SOURCES

We conducted a systematic review of observational studies and randomized controlled trials following the Cochrane Handbook guidance. We conducted a literature search of 5 databases and 1 trial registry from inception of the study to April 16, 2024.

STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Studies reporting complete response within 1 year in reproductive-aged patients with clinical stage IA endometrioid cancer undergoing progestin therapy treatment were included. We used data from both observational and randomized controlled studies.

STUDY APPRAISAL AND SYNTHESIS METHODS

The primary exposure assessed was the type of progestational treatment (oral progestins or LNG-IUD). The primary outcome was the pooled proportion of the best complete response (CR) within 1 year of primary progestational treatment. We performed a proportional meta-analysis to estimate the treatment response. Sensitivity analyses were performed by removing studies with extreme effect sizes or removing grade 2 tumors. The risk of bias was assessed in each study using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal checklist.

RESULTS

Our analysis involved 754 reproductive-aged patients diagnosed with endometrial cancer, with 490 receiving oral progestin and 264 receiving levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine device as their primary progestational treatment. The pooled proportion of the best complete response within 12 months of oral progestin and levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine device treatment were 66% (95% CI, 55-76) and 86% (95% CI, 69-95), respectively. After removing outlier studies, the pooled proportion was 66% (95% CI, 57-73) for the oral progestin group and 89% (95% CI, 75-96) for the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine device group, showing reduced heterogeneity. Specifically, among studies including grade 1 tumors, the pooled proportions were 66% (95% CI, 54-77) for the oral progestin group and 83% (95% CI, 50-96) for the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine device group. The pooled pregnancy rate was 58% (95% CI, 37-76) after oral progestin treatment and 44% (95% CI, 6-90) after levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine device treatment.

CONCLUSION

This meta-analysis provides valuable insights into the effectiveness of oral progestins and levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine device treatment within a 12-month timeframe for patients with early-stage endometrial cancer who desire to preserve fertility. These findings have the potential to assist in personalized treatment decision-making for patients.

Outcomes of extended progestin therapy in atypical endometrial hyperplasia patients without an initial response to progestin: a retrospective study from two tertiary centers in Korea and Taiwan

OBJECTIVE

In this study, we evaluated the role of prolonged progestin treatment on atypical endometrial hyperplasia (AEH) patients who did not achieve complete regression (CR) after at least 3 months of progestin treatment. Possible prognostic factors predicting disease regression and recurrence were also assessed.

METHODS

We retrospectively identified patients who had histologically confirmed persistent disease after at least 3 months of progestin treatment at two tertiary centers in Korea and Taiwan. Clinicopathologic factors and clinical outcomes were obtained from medical records. Logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between covariates and the probability of CR and relapse.

RESULTS

Fifty-two patients were included. Thirty-seven of 52 patients (71.2%) achieved CR after prolonged progestin treatment. Median time from starting progestin treatment to CR was 12.0 months. Daily administration of medroxyprogesterone acetate ≥200 mg or megestrol acetate ≥80 mg was associated with higher probability of regression. Nineteen of 37 patients (51.4%) experienced recurrence, with median time from CR to relapse of 15.0 months. Body mass index ≥27 was associated with higher relapse probability. Twelve of 16 patients with disease progression to endometrial carcinoma underwent surgery. The 12 cases had stage I tumors and lived without disease.

CONCLUSION

Extension of progestin treatment course is feasible for AEH patients without an initial response to progestin. Higher daily progestin dosage was associated with higher probability of CR, and obesity was associated with higher risk of relapse. The patients without an initial response to progestins and whose AEH progressed to endometrial carcinoma had good prognoses.

Trends in incidence and hormonal management of endometrial cancer during potentially reproductive age in Japan: a population-based study

BACKGROUND

We aimed to investigate the trends in the incidence and treatment of endometrial cancer (EC) during potentially reproductive age in Japan, with a special focus on the relative oncologic safety of hormonal therapy (HT) over surgery.

METHODS

This population-based retrospective cohort study was conducted using data from the Osaka Cancer Registry from 2004 to 2018. Women with EC were first identified and then distributions of age, stage, histology, and initial treatment were examined. Then, the relative oncologic safety of HT over surgery in patients under the age of 50 years was evaluated.

RESULTS

Among the 9417 patients with EC, 1937 were diagnosed during their potentially reproductive age (< 50 years). The incidence of EC during potentially reproductive age has increased from 18.5% in 2004-2011 to 21.9% in 2012-2018. ECs during potentially reproductive age more frequently displayed favorable characteristics, such as endometrioid histology, and lower histological grade than those in non-potentially reproductive age. Among the 1223 patients diagnosed with localized endometrioid EC, 74 cases (6.0%) received HT as an initial treatment, while 1100 cases (90.0%) underwent surgery as their initial treatment. When the two treatment groups were compared, there was no significant difference in overall survival (p = 0.3713). The estimated 5-year survival rates were 100 and 98.8% in the HT and surgery groups, respectively.

CONCLUSION

EC is increasingly diagnosed during potentially reproductive age in Japan. The use of HT as an initial treatment is increasing, and achieved comparable survival outcomes to urgery against localized endometrioid EC during the potentially reproductive age.

Fertility-sparing re-treatment for endometrial cancer and atypical endometrial hyperplasia patients with progestin-resistance: a retrospective analysis of 61 cases

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to evaluate the oncological and reproductive outcomes of fertility-preserving re-treatment in progestin-resistant endometrial carcinoma (EC) and atypical endometrial hyperplasia (AEH) women who desire to maintain their fertility.

METHODS

Our study included 61 progestin-resistant EC/AEH patients. These patients underwent treatment with gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) solely or a combination of GnRHa with levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (LNG-IUD) or aromatase inhibitor (AI). Histological evaluations were performed every 3-4 months. Upon achieving complete remission (CR), we recommended maintenance treatments including LNG-IUD, cyclical oral contraceptives, or low-dose cyclic progestin until they began attempting conception. Regular follow-up was conducted for all patients. The chi-square method was utilized to compare oncological and fertility outcomes, while the Cox proportional hazards regression analysis helped identify risk factors for CR, recurrence, and pregnancy.

RESULTS

Overall, 55 (90.2%) patients achieved CR, including 90.9% of AEH patients and 89.7% of EC patients. The median re-treatment time was 6 months (ranging from 3 to 12 months). The CR rate for GnRHa alone, GnRHa + LNG-IUD and GnRHa + AI were 80.0%, 91.7% and 93.3%, respectively. After a median follow-up period of 36 months (ranging from 3 to 96 months), 19 women (34.5%) experienced recurrence, 40.0% in AEH and 31.4% in EC patients, with the median recurrence time of 23 months (ranging from 6 to 77 months). Among the patients who achieved CR, 39 expressed a desire to conceive, 20 (51.3%) became pregnant, 11 (28.2%) had successfully deliveries, 1 (5.1%) was still pregnant, while 8 (20.5%) suffered miscarriages.

CONCLUSION

GnRHa-based fertility-sparing treatment exhibited promising oncological and reproductive outcomes for progestin-resistant patients. Future larger multi-institutional studies are necessary to confirm these findings.

Levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine device therapy vs oral progestin treatment for reproductive-aged patients with endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine outcomes of patients with endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia treated with oral progestins or a levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine device (IUD).

METHODS

We conducted a systematic review across 5 databases to examine outcomes of progestational treatment (oral progestins or levonorgestrel-releasing IUD) for patients with endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia. The primary outcome was the best complete response rate within 12 months of primary progestational treatment. Sensitivity analyses were performed by removing studies with extreme effect sizes. Secondary outcomes included the pooled pregnancy rate.

RESULTS

We identified 21 eligible studies, including 824 premenopausal patients with endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia, for our meta-analysis. Among these, 459 patients received oral progestin, and 365 patients received levonorgestrel-releasing IUD as a primary progestational treatment. The pooled best complete response proportion within 12 months was 82% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 69% to 91%) following oral progestin treatment and 95% (95% CI = 81% to 99%) following levonorgestrel-releasing IUD treatment. After removing outlier studies, the pooled proportion was 86% (95% CI = 75% to 92%) for the oral progestin group and 96% (95% CI = 91% to 99%) for the levonorgestrel-releasing IUD group, with reduced heterogeneity. The pooled pregnancy rate was 50% (95% CI = 35% to 65%) after oral progestin and 35% (95% CI = 23% to 49%) after levonorgestrel-releasing IUD treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

This meta-analysis provides data on the effectiveness of oral progestins and levonorgestrel-releasing IUD treatment within 12 months of treatment among premenopausal patients with endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia. Although based on small numbers, the rate of pregnancy after treatment is modest. These data may be beneficial for selecting progestational therapies that allow fertility preservation for patients with endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia.

Recurrent endometrial atypical hyperplasia diagnosed by pathological examination of the placenta from a live birth: a case report

BACKGROUND

Pregnancy complicated with endometrial atypical hyperplasia, which is often observed during early pregnancy, is extremely rare.

CASE PRESENTATION

The patient was a 30-year-old woman who had premature delivery at 30+ 1 weeks gestation, and endometrial atypical hyperplasia was discovered by placental examination.

CONCLUSIONS

For patients who undergo fertility-sparing treatment for endometrial atypical hyperplasia, the evaluation of the decidua via the placental pathological examination is particularly important. These examinations make a great clinical contribution to the early detection and diagnosis of endometrial atypical hyperplasia.

Upgrading Treatment and Molecular Diagnosis in Endometrial Cancer-Driving New Tools for Endometrial Preservation?

One emerging problem for onco-gynecologists is the incidence of premenopausal patients under 40 years of age diagnosed with stage I Endometrial Cancer (EC) who want to preserve their fertility. Our review aims to define a primary risk assessment that can help fertility experts and onco-gynecologists tailor personalized treatment and fertility-preserving strategies for fertile patients wishing to have children. We confirm that risk factors such as myometrial invasion and The International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) staging should be integrated into the novel molecular classification provided by The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). We also corroborate the influence of classical risk factors such as obesity, Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), and diabetes mellitus to assess fertility outcomes. The fertility preservation options are inadequately discussed with women with a diagnosis of gynecological cancer. A multidisciplinary team of gynecologists, oncologists, and fertility specialists could increase patient satisfaction and improve fertility outcomes. The incidence and death rates of endometrial cancer are rising globally. International guidelines recommend radical hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy as the standard of care for this cancer; however, fertility-sparing alternatives should be tailored to motivated women of reproductive age, establishing an appropriate cost-benefit balance between childbearing desire and cancer risk. New molecular classifications such as that of TCGA provide a robust supplementary risk assessment tool that can tailor the treatment options to the patient's needs, curtail over- and under-treatment, and contribute to the spread of fertility-preserving strategies.

Sparing Is Caring: Hormonal Retreatment in Women with Recurrent Endometrial Cancer after Fertility Preservation Management-A Single Centre Retrospective Study

Fertility-sparing treatment (FTS) of endometrial cancer (EC) has a high rate of remission but also a high rate of relapse (10-88%). Many women still wish to conceive at the time of relapse, but results regarding retreatment are still lacking. This study aims to evaluate the safety, oncological and pregnancy outcomes of repeated FST in women with recurrent EC. This is a retrospective single-center study that recruited patients who had uterine recurrence after achieving a complete response (CR) with FST for FIGO stage IA, well-differentiated (G1), endometrioid EC. All eligible women underwent a second FST. Among 26 patients with recurrence, 6 decided to receive a hysterectomy and 20 received fertility-sparing retreatment. In total, 17 out of 20 women (85%) achieved a CR in a median time of 6 months. A total of 2/20 women showed a stable disease and continued the treatment for a further 6 months and finally achieved a CR. In total, 1/20 women showed disease progression and underwent demolitive surgery. After relapse and a CR, 14 patients attempted to become pregnant, among whom 7 became pregnant (pregnancy rate 50%-life birth rate 29%). Secondary FST is a safe and effective option for women who desire to preserve fertility after the recurrence of early-stage EC.

Levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system-based therapies for early-stage endometrial cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies evaluating the oncological and fertility outcomes of early-stage endometrial cancer (EC) treated with the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (LIUS)-based regimens.

METHODS

The Meta-analyses Of Observational Studies in Epidemiology statement for meta-analyses was followed. Searches were conducted on MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, Preprints, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials from January 1990 to August 4, 2022. The Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist was used for quality assessment. The primary endpoint was the complete response (CR) rate and the secondary endpoints were relapse, pregnancy, and live birth rate.

RESULTS

A total of 25 studies (821 women) were included. The CR rate of LIUS-based regimens was 63.4% (95% confidence interval [CI]=52.3%-73.2%), with 29.6% (95% CI=23.3%-36.8%) of cases experiencing recurrence during follow-up. In sensitivity analyses, patients younger than 45 years of age with a body mass index <30 kg/m² who were treated with LIUS-based regimens achieved a high CR rate of 84.6% (95% CI=80.3%-88.1%) over a median follow-up of more than 24 months. Overall pregnancy and live birth rates were 37.9% (95% CI=24.1%-53.9%) and 39.3% (95% CI=24.0%-57.0%), respectively. No statistical differences were apparent in CR or relapse rates among the LIUS+GnRH agonist, LIUS+oral progesterone, or hysteroscopic resection followed by LIUS subgroups.

CONCLUSION

LIUS-based therapies are viable for the conservative management of early-stage endometrioid EC on CR and fertility outcome.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

PROSPERO Identifier: CRD42022352890.

Oncological and reproductive outcomes for gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist combined with aromatase inhibitors or levonorgestrel-releasing intra-uterine system in women with endometrial cancer or atypical endometrial hyperplasia

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) combined with a levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine device (LNG-IUD) or aromatase inhibitor (letrozole) in women with endometrial carcinoma or atypical endometrial hyperplasia who wished to preserve fertility.

METHODS

Patients at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital between January 2013 and December 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. A total of 179 patients who were unsuitable to undergo treatment with high-dose oral progestin, including those with progestin allergies, body mass index ≥30 kg/m2, liver and/or renal dysfunction, hypercoagulable state, and thrombosis were included. Patient data were retrieved from medical records and a prospectively maintained database that represented the standard protocol was followed for all patients. Clinical characteristics, treatment outcomes, adverse events, and reproductive outcomes were collected and analyzed. Logistic regression models were constructed to determine the associations between complete remission, recurrence, and fertility.

RESULTS

Overall, 169 patients (94.4%) achieved complete remission; 58 (96.7%) had atypical endometrial hyperplasia and 111 (93.3%) had endometrial carcinoma. The complete remission rates for the GnRHa plus LNG-IUD and GnRHa plus letrozole groups were 93.5% and 95.8%, respectively. The median time to complete remission was 6 (range 3-18) months: 4 (range 3-10) months for atypical endometrial hyperplasia and 8 (range 3-18) months for endometrial carcinoma. After a median follow-up of 27.5 (range 3-92) months, 41 (24.3%) women developed recurrence, with a median recurrence time of 17 (range 6-77) months. Of the patients with complete remission, 134 patients desired to conceive and 42 (32.3%) became pregnant, 24 (17.9%) were successfully delivered, 5 (3.7%) were still pregnant, while 13 miscarried.

CONCLUSION

GnRHa combined treatment provides favorable oncological and reproductive outcomes. Larger multi-institutional studies are required to confirm these preliminary findings.

Conservative Management of Atypical Endometrial Hyperplasia and Early Endometrial Cancer in Childbearing Age Women

Total hysterectomy and bilateral adnexectomy is the standard treatment for atypical endometrial hyperplasia and early-stage endometrial cancer. However, the recommended surgical treatment precludes future pregnancy when these conditions are diagnosed in women in their fertile age. In these patients, fertility-sparing treatment may be feasible if the desire for childbearing is consistent and specific conditions are present. This review summarizes the available evidence on fertility-sparing management for atypical endometrial hyperplasia and early-stage endometrial cancer. Historically, oral progestins have been the mainstay of conservative management for atypical endometrial hyperplasia and stage IA endometrioid endometrial cancer with no myometrial invasion, although there is no consensus on dosage and treatment length. Intrauterine progestin therapy has proved a valid alternative option when oral progestins are not tolerated. GnRH analogs, metformin, and hysteroscopic resection in combination with progestins appear to increase the overall efficacy of the treatment. After a complete response, conception is recommended; alternatively, maintenance therapy with strict follow-up has been proposed to decrease recurrence. The risk of disease progression is not negligible, and clinicians should not overlook the risk of hereditary forms of the disease in young patients, in particular, Lynch syndrome. Hysterectomy is performed once the desire for childbearing desire has been established. The conservative management of atypical endometrial hyperplasia and early-stage endometrial cancer is feasible, provided a strong desire for childbearing and permitting clinical-pathological conditions. However, patients must be aware of the need for a strict follow-up and the risk of progression with a possible consequent worsening of the prognosis. More homogenous and well-designed studies are necessary to standardize and identify the best treatment and follow-up protocols.

Fertility-Sparing Treatment for Endometrial Cancer: Oncological and Obstetric Outcomes in Combined Therapies with Levonorgestrel Intrauterine Device

Simple Summary

This article discusses a retrospective study describing sixteen years of experience in the fertility-sparing treatment (FST) of endometrial cancer (EC) in a tertiary referral center for oncology. The aim of the study is to compare oncological and reproductive outcomes of different combined therapy with LNG-IUD in FST of presumed FIGO STAGE IA endometrioid G1 EC. We assessed outcomes for 75 patients treated with three different approaches: GnRH analogue (GnRHa) + LNG-IUD vs. Megestrol acetate (MA) + LNG-IUD vs. MA + LNG-IUD + Metformin (MET). We reported, although not statistically significant, an increasing rate of CR from the regimen with GnRHa to one with MA+MET (65% vs. 83%) and showed a statistically significant lower risk of recurrence in women treated with MA+ LNG-IUD+MET when compared to GnRHa+ LNG-IUD regimen. There were no differences in obstetric outcomes among different therapeutic regimens.

Abstract

Background: The prevalence of reaches up to 5% in women younger than 40 years. Therefore, the fertility preservation should be the goal of the clinical practice in women with desire of pregnancy and low-risk features. The aim of this study is to compare oncological and reproductive outcomes of different hormonal therapies in FST of EC. Methods: A retrospective single-center study recruiting patients with presumed FIGO STAGE IA endometrioid G1 EC from 2005 to 2020 was performed. We assessed outcomes for three different therapeutic options: GnRHa + LNG-IUD vs. MA + LNG-IUD vs. MA + LNG-IUD + MET. Results: In total, 75 patients were enrolled and followed up for a median of 45 months. Complete response (CR) was achieved in 75% of patients at 12 months. Although not statistically significant, we reported an increasing rate of CR from the regimen with GnRHa to the one with MA + MET (65% vs. 83%). We showed a statistically significant lower risk of recurrence in women treated with MA + LNG-IUD + MET, when compared to GnRHa + LNG-IUD regimen. The pregnancy rate was 74% and live birth rate was 42%, with no differences among regimens. Conclusions: FST is a safe and effective option in women who desire to preserve fertility.

Chances of pregnancy and live birth among women undergoing conservative management of early-stage endometrial cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Endometrial cancer is common and usually occurs after menopause, but the number of women diagnosed during reproductive age is increasing. The standard treatment including hysterectomy is effective but causes absolute uterine factor infertility. In order to avoid or postpone surgery, conservative management of endometrial cancer (CMEC) has been proposed for younger women who want to retain their fertility.

OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE

The main objective of this study was to estimate the chances of pregnancy and live birth for women with early-stage endometrial cancer (EEC) who are managed conservatively for fertility preservation.

SEARCH METHODS

The PRISMA recommendations for systematic reviews and meta-analyses were followed. Structured searches were performed in PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Library, from inception until 13 June 2021. Inclusion was based on the following criteria: group or subgroup of women with Clinical Stage IA, well-differentiated, endometrioid endometrial cancer (from now on, EEC); CMEC for fertility preservation; and reported frequencies of women achieving pregnancy and/or live birth after CMEC. The following exclusion criteria applied: impossibility to isolate/extract outcome data of interest; second-line CMEC for persistent/recurrent disease; CMEC in the presence of synchronous tumours; case reports; non-original or duplicated data; and articles not in English. Qualitative synthesis was performed by means of tabulation and narrative review of the study characteristics. Study quality was assessed with an ad hoc instrument and several moderator and sensitivity analyses were performed.

OUTCOMES

Out of 1275 unique records, 133 were assessed in full-text and 46 studies were included in the review. Data from 861 women with EEC undergoing CMEC were available. Progestin-based treatment was reported in all but three studies (93.5%; 836 women). Complete response to treatment was achieved in 79.7% of women, with 35.3% of them having a disease recurrence during follow-up. Of 286 pregnancies obtained after CMEC; 69.4% led to live birth (9% of them multiple births) and 66.7% were achieved through fertility treatment. Based on random-effects meta-analyses, women treated with progestin-based CMEC have a 26.7% chance of achieving pregnancy (95% CI 21.3-32.3; I2 = 53.7%; 42 studies, 826 women) and a 20.5% chance to achieve a live birth (95% CI 15.7-25.8; I2 = 40.2%; 39 studies, 650 women). Sample size, average age, publication year, study design and quality score were not associated with the outcomes of progestin-based CMEC in moderator analyses with meta-regression. However, mean follow-up length (in months) was positively associated with the chances of pregnancy (regression coefficient [B] = 0.003; 95% CI 0.001-0.005; P = 0.006) and live birth (B = 0.005; 95% CI 0.003-0.007; P < 0.001). In sensitivity analyses, the highest chances of live birth were estimated in subsets of studies including only women of age 35 or younger (30.7%), the combination of progestins with hysteroscopic resection (30.7%), or at least 3 years of follow-up (42.4%).

WIDER IMPLICATIONS

Progestin-based CMEC is viable for women with well-differentiated, Clinical Stage 1A, endometrioid endometrial cancer who want to preserve their fertility, but there is room for improvement as only one-fifth of them are estimated to achieve live birth according to this meta-analysis. Further investigations on prognosis-driven selection, hysteroscopic resection and long-term surveillance are arguably needed to improve the reproductive outcomes of CMEC.

The Role of Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone (GnRH) in Endometrial Cancer

Endometrial cancer (EC) is one of the most common gynecological malignancies. Gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) is a decapeptide first described to be secreted by the hypothalamus to regulate pituitary gonadotropin secretion. In this systematic review, we analyze and summarize the data indicating that most EC express GnRH and its receptor (GnRH-R) as part of an autocrine system regulating proliferation, the cell cycle, and apoptosis. We analyze the available data on the expression and function of GnRH-II, its putative receptor, and its signal transduction. GnRH-I and GnRH-II agonists, and antagonists as well as cytotoxic GnRH-I analogs, have been shown to inhibit proliferation and to induce apoptosis in human EC cell lines in pre-clinical models. Treatment with conventional doses of GnRH-agonists that suppress pituitary gonadotropin secretion and ovarian estrogen production has become part of fertility preserving therapy of early EC or its pre-cancer (atypical endometrial hyperplasia). Conventional doses of GnRH-agonists had marginal activity in advanced or recurrent EC. Higher doses or more potent analogs including GnRH-II antagonists have not yet been used clinically. The cytotoxic GnRH-analog Zoptarelin Doxorubicin has shown encouraging activity in a phase II trial in patients with advanced or recurrent EC, which expressed GnRH-R. In a phase III trial in patients with EC of unknown GnRH-R expression, the cytotoxic GnRH doxorubicin conjugate was not superior to free doxorubicin. Further well-designed clinical trials exploiting the GnRH-system in EC might be useful.

Fertility-sparing management for endometrial cancer: review of the literature

INTRODUCTION

Primary surgery is effective in low-risk endometrial cancer (EC). However, in young women, this approach compromises fertility. Therefore, fertility-sparing management in the case of atypical endometrial hyperplasia, or grade 1 EC limited to the endometrium can be considered.

EVIDENCE ACQUISITION

We performed a literature review to identify studies involving women with EC or atypical hyperplasia who underwent fertility-sparing management. We conducted multiple bibliographic databases research from their inception to May 2020.

EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS

Oral therapy with medroxyprogesterone acetate and megestrol acetate is recommended based on extensive experience, although without consensus on dosages and treatment length. The pooled complete response rate, recurrence rate, and pregnancy rate of EC were 76.3%, 30.7% and 52.1%, respectively. Endometrial hyperplasia was associated with better outcomes. LNG-IUSs appears an alternative treatment, particularly in patients who do not tolerate oral therapy. In a randomized controlled trial, megestrol acetate plus metformin guaranteed an earlier complete response rate than megestrol acetate alone for endometrial hyperplasia. Hysteroscopic resection followed by progestogens is associated with a higher complete response rate, live birth rate, and lower recurrence rate than oral progestogens alone. Pooled complete response, recurrence, and live birth rates were 98.1%, 4.8% and 52.6%.

CONCLUSIONS

Fertility preservation appears feasible in young patients with grade 1 EC limited to the endometrium or atypical endometrial hyperplasia. Progestins are the mainstay of such management. The addition of Metformin and hysteroscopic resection seems to provide some improvements. However, fertility preservation is not the standard approach for staging and treatment, potentially worsening oncologic outcomes.

Fertility-sparing treatment in women with endometrial cancer

Endometrial cancer (EC) in young women tends to be early-stage and low-grade; therefore, such cases have good prognoses. Fertility-sparing treatment with progestin is a potential alternative to definitive treatment (i.e., total hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, pelvic washing, and/or lymphadenectomy) for selected patients. However, no evidence-based consensus or guidelines yet exist, and this topic is subject to much debate. Generally, the ideal candidates for fertility-sparing treatment have been suggested to be young women with grade 1 endometrioid adenocarcinoma confined to the endometrium. Magnetic resonance imaging should be performed to rule out myometrial invasion and extrauterine disease before initiating fertility-sparing treatment. Although various fertility-sparing treatment methods exist, including the levonorgestrel-intrauterine system, metformin, gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists, photodynamic therapy, and hysteroscopic resection, the most common method is high-dose oral progestin (medroxyprogesterone acetate at 500–600 mg daily or megestrol acetate at 160 mg daily). During treatment, re-evaluation of the endometrium with dilation and curettage at 3 months is recommended. Although no consensus exists regarding the ideal duration of maintenance treatment after achieving regression, it is reasonable to consider maintaining the progestin therapy until pregnancy with individualization. According to the literature, the ovarian stimulation drugs used for fertility treatments appear safe. Hysterectomy should be performed after childbearing, and hysterectomy without oophorectomy can also be considered for young women. The available evidence suggests that fertility-sparing treatment is effective and does not appear to worsen the prognosis. If an eligible patient strongly desires fertility despite the risk of recurrence, the clinician should consider fertility-sparing treatment with close follow-up.

Role of the pathologist in assessing response to treatment of ovarian and endometrial cancers

Standardisation of pathological evaluation of tissue responses to therapy permits robust stratification of patient outcomes for management decisions and allows comparison of results across clinical trials. In gynaecological pathology there are two major areas where pathological assessment of treatment response is currently used to determine ongoing therapy. High-grade serous carcinoma (HGSC) of tubo-ovarian origin frequently presents as high-stage disease and may be managed by neoadjuvant chemotherapy with debulking surgery. The chemotherapy response score (CRS) is a reproducible, validated three-tiered morphological scoring system to assess the response of HGSC to treatment. Interobserver agreement is shown to be substantial following online training, and women with CRS3 have significantly improved progression-free and overall survival. Low-grade endometrioid endometrial cancer and atypical hyperplasia/endometrioid intraepithelial neoplasia may be managed by progestogenic therapy in women who wish to preserve fertility or for whom medical co-morbidities preclude surgical management. The response to treatment is assessed histologically in successive endometrial biopsies. The histological parameters are well described, but the pathological classification of treatment response is still under development. Pathological assessment of the response to treatment is incorporated into clinical guidelines.

Comparison among fertility-sparing therapies for well differentiated early-stage endometrial carcinoma and complex atypical hyperplasia

OBJECTIVE

To compare fertility-sparing therapies including oral progestogens, hysteroscopic resection (HR), and the levonorgestrel- releasing intrauterine system (LNG-IUS) in achieving disease regression, recurrence and live birth rate in well differentiate early-stage endometrial carcinoma (eEC) and complex atypical hyperplasia(CAH).

STUDY DESIGN

This was a meta-analysis of previous studies focus on the fertility-sparing therapy for well differentiate early-stage endometrial carcinoma (eEC) and complex atypical hyperplasia (CAH).

DATE SOURCES

Medline, the Cochrane Library and Embase was searched with the terms and Synonyms: words similar to eEC and CAH with therapies associated with fertility-sparing.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The number of all patients accepted fertility sparing therapies, patients got regressed, relapsed and delivered were extracted from each study, and the regression, recurrence, and live birth rate of each study were calculated. The regression, recurrence and live birth rates between each two interventions were compared with the aid of meta-regression in packages of "meta" and "meta for" written in R.

RESULTS

Fifty-four studies reported fertility sparing therapies in young women with eEC and CAH were included. Meta-analysis showed that HR followed by progestogens achieved a higher pooled regression (98.06% vs 77.20% P < 0.0001) and live birth rate (52.57% vs 33.38%, P = 0.0944) and a lower recurrence rate compared with oral progestogens alone (4.79% vs 32.17% P = 0.0004). At the same time, the pooled live birth rate (52.57% vs 18.09% P =0.0399) of HR followed by progestogens are significantly higher than the LNG-IUS alone. Which no statistical difference in regression (98.06% vs 94.24%; P = 0.4098) and recurrence rates (4.79% vs 3.90% P = 0.8561) was seen.

CONCLUSIONS

Of the available fertility-sparing therapeutic options, HR followed by progestogens may be a more effective one.

Dilatation and curettage is more accurate than endometrial aspiration biopsy in early-stage endometrial cancer patients treated with high dose oral progestin and levonorgestrel intrauterine system

Objective

To determine whether less invasive endometrial (EM) aspiration biopsy is adequately accurate for evaluating treatment outcomes compared to the dilatation and curettage (D&C) biopsy in early-stage endometrial cancer (EC) patients treated with high dose oral progestin and levonorgestrel intrauterine system (LNG-IUS).

Methods

We conducted a prospective observational study with patients younger than 40 years who were diagnosed with clinical stage IA, The International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics grade 1 or 2 endometrioid adenocarcinoma and sought to maintain their fertility. The patients were treated with medroxyprogesterone acetate 500 mg/day and LNG-IUS. Treatment responses were evaluated every 3 months. EM aspiration biopsy was conducted after LNG-IUS removal followed D&C. The tissue samples were histologically compared. The diagnostic concordance rate of the two tests was examined with κ statistics.

Results

Twenty-eight pairs of EM samples were obtained from five patients. The diagnostic concordance rate of D&C and EM aspiration biopsy was 39.3% (κ value=0.26). Of the seven samples diagnosed as normal with D&C, three (42.8%) were diagnosed as normal by using EM aspiration biopsy. Of the eight samples diagnosed with endometrioid adenocarcinoma by using D&C, three (37.5%) were diagnosed with endometrioid adenocarcinoma by using EM aspiration biopsy. Of the 13 complex EM hyperplasia samples diagnosed with the D&C, five (38.5%) were diagnosed with EM hyperplasia by using EM aspiration biopsy. Of the samples obtained through EM aspiration, 46.4% were insufficient for histological evaluation.

Conclusion

To evaluate the treatment responses of patients with early-stage EC treated with high dose oral progestin and LNG-IUS, D&C should be conducted after LNG-IUS removal.

Fertility-Sparing Treatment of Early Endometrial Cancer and Complex Atypical Hyperplasia in Young Women of Childbearing Potential

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate oncologic and reproductive outcome with levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system combined with gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist in women with grade 1 endometrial carcinoma, and the levonorgestrel monotherapy in women with complex atypical hyperplasia.

MATERIALS/METHODS

A prospective study was conducted. We analyzed the clinical characteristics of 70 patients younger than 42 years (mean age, 33 years) with a diagnosis of complex atypical endometrial hyperplasia (AEH) or grade 1 endometrial adenocarcinoma who were treated with hormonal therapy at the Division of Gynecologic Oncology of P.A. Hertsen Moscow Cancer Research Institute from February 2009 to December 2012. Patients with complex AEH received monotherapy with levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (Mirena, Shering, Finland; 52 mg). Patients with a diagnosis of grade 1 endometrial cancer were treated with levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system combined with gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (Zoladex; AstraZeneca UK Limited, UK; 3.6-mg depot). All the patients received hormonal therapy for a minimum of 6 months. Pretreatment evaluation consisted of transabdominal and transvaginal ultrasound in grayscale, color Doppler ultrasound, contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging, cervical hysteroscopy, Pipelle endometrial biopsy, and morphological and immunohistochemical characteristics of the tissue.

RESULTS

Seventy patients were included in study analyses. Twenty three (72%) of 32 patients with adenocarcinoma and 35 (92%) of 38 patients with AEH had complete remission, defined as the absence of any carcinoma or hyperplasia on endometrial sampling specimens. Among these cases, 2 patients with adenocarcinoma and 1 patient with AEH had recurrence after their complete response. Nine patients had persistent disease. Eight patients had 10 conceptions, resulting in 8 live births.

CONCLUSIONS

The suggested conservative treatment strategy can be considered as a valid therapeutic option for young women of childbearing potential with atypical endometrial hyperplasia and grade 1 endometrial adenocarcinoma who wish to preserve their fertility and thus may be recommended as an alternative to hysterectomy. Close follow-up during and after the treatment period is strictly required.

Growth of poorly differentiated endometrial carcinoma is inhibited by combined action of medroxyprogesterone acetate and the Ras inhibitor Salirasib

Type 2 endometrial carcinoma (EC) is a poorly differentiated EC. Unlike type 1 EC, which responds to hormonal treatment (progestins), type 2 EC is refractory to hormonal treatment because of its low expression of active estrogen and progesterone receptors (ER, PR). The aim of this study was to develop a novel drug combination designed to treat these aggressive type 2 EC tumors without surgery and with fertility potential preserved. We examined the effects of combined treatment with the progestin medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) and the Ras inhibitor S-farnesylthiosalicylic acid (FTS; Salirasib). Because FTS can induce cell differentiation in tumor cells, we examined whether FTS could induce re-differentiation of type 2 EC cells, thereby sensitizing them to MPA. We found that FTS reduced Ras-GTP, phospho-Akt, and phospho-ERK, and that these reductions all correlated with a decrease in ERα phosphorylation. Combined treatment with FTS and MPA induced stronger reduction in USPC1 type 2 EC cell numbers than the reduction induced by either drug alone. MPA caused ERα degradation. Death of the cells was caused by MPA but not by FTS. The phosphorylated ERα induces gene transcription manifested by enhanced cell proliferation and survival. The combination of FTS and MPA, by reducing the mRNA expression of ERα-mediated genes (i.e. PR, c-fos and ps2/TFF1), inhibited tumor growth and enhanced the death of type 2 EC cells. These promising results might herald a novel treatment for the highly aggressive, incurable type 2 endometrial carcinoma.