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Fumagalli D, De Vitis LA, Caruso G, Occhiali T, Palmieri E, Guillot BE, Pappalettera G, Langstraat CL, Glaser GE, Reynolds EA, Fruscio R, Landoni F, Mariani A, Grassi T. Low-Volume Metastases in Apparent Early-Stage Endometrial Cancer: Prevalence, Clinical Significance, and Future Perspectives. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:1338. [PMID: 38611016 PMCID: PMC11011093 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16071338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2024] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Endometrial cancer (EC) is the most diagnosed gynecologic malignancy, and its incidence and mortality are increasing. The prognosis is highly dependent on the disease spread. Surgical staging includes retroperitoneal evaluation to detect potential lymph node metastases. In recent years, systematic lymphadenectomy has been replaced by sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy and ultrastaging, allowing for the detection of macrometastases, micrometastases, and isolated tumor cells (ITCs). Micrometastases and ITCs have been grouped as low-volume metastases (LVM). The reported prevalence of LVM in studies enrolling more than one thousand patients with apparent early-stage EC ranges from 1.9% to 10.2%. Different rates of LVM are observed when patients are stratified according to disease characteristics and their risk of recurrence. Patients with EC at low risk for recurrence have low rates of LVM, while intermediate- and high-risk patients have a higher likelihood of being diagnosed with nodal metastases, including LVM. Macro- and micrometastases increase the risk of recurrence and cause upstaging, while the clinical significance of ITCs is still uncertain. A recent meta-analysis found that patients with LVM have a higher relative risk of recurrence [1.34 (95% CI: 1.07-1.67)], regardless of adjuvant treatment. In a retrospective study on patients with low-risk EC and no adjuvant treatment, those with ITCs had worse recurrence-free survival compared to node-negative patients (85.1%; CI 95% 73.8-98.2 versus 90.2%; CI 95% 84.9-95.8). However, a difference was no longer observed after the exclusion of cases with lymphovascular space invasion. There is no consensus on adjuvant treatment in ITC patients at otherwise low risk, and their recurrence rate is low. Multi-institutional, prospective studies are warranted to evaluate the clinical significance of ITCs in low-risk patients. Further stratification of patients, considering histopathological and molecular features of the disease, may clarify the role of LVM and especially ITCs in specific contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diletta Fumagalli
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA; (D.F.); (L.A.D.V.); (G.C.); (T.O.); (E.P.); (B.E.G.); (G.P.); (C.L.L.); (G.E.G.); (E.A.R.); (A.M.)
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milan-Bicocca, 20126 Milan, Italy; (R.F.); (F.L.)
| | - Luigi A. De Vitis
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA; (D.F.); (L.A.D.V.); (G.C.); (T.O.); (E.P.); (B.E.G.); (G.P.); (C.L.L.); (G.E.G.); (E.A.R.); (A.M.)
- Department of Gynecology, European Institute of Oncology (IEO) IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Caruso
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA; (D.F.); (L.A.D.V.); (G.C.); (T.O.); (E.P.); (B.E.G.); (G.P.); (C.L.L.); (G.E.G.); (E.A.R.); (A.M.)
- Department of Gynecology, European Institute of Oncology (IEO) IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy
| | - Tommaso Occhiali
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA; (D.F.); (L.A.D.V.); (G.C.); (T.O.); (E.P.); (B.E.G.); (G.P.); (C.L.L.); (G.E.G.); (E.A.R.); (A.M.)
- Clinic of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Santa Maria della Misericordia University Hospital, Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Friuli Centrale, 33100 Udine, Italy
| | - Emilia Palmieri
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA; (D.F.); (L.A.D.V.); (G.C.); (T.O.); (E.P.); (B.E.G.); (G.P.); (C.L.L.); (G.E.G.); (E.A.R.); (A.M.)
- Gynecologic Oncology Unit, Department of Women, Children and Public Health Sciences, , Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, 00136 Roma, Italy
| | - Benedetto E. Guillot
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA; (D.F.); (L.A.D.V.); (G.C.); (T.O.); (E.P.); (B.E.G.); (G.P.); (C.L.L.); (G.E.G.); (E.A.R.); (A.M.)
- Department of Gynecology, European Institute of Oncology (IEO) IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy
| | - Giulia Pappalettera
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA; (D.F.); (L.A.D.V.); (G.C.); (T.O.); (E.P.); (B.E.G.); (G.P.); (C.L.L.); (G.E.G.); (E.A.R.); (A.M.)
- Department of Gynecology, European Institute of Oncology (IEO) IRCCS, 20141 Milan, Italy
| | - Carrie L. Langstraat
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA; (D.F.); (L.A.D.V.); (G.C.); (T.O.); (E.P.); (B.E.G.); (G.P.); (C.L.L.); (G.E.G.); (E.A.R.); (A.M.)
| | - Gretchen E. Glaser
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA; (D.F.); (L.A.D.V.); (G.C.); (T.O.); (E.P.); (B.E.G.); (G.P.); (C.L.L.); (G.E.G.); (E.A.R.); (A.M.)
| | - Evelyn A. Reynolds
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA; (D.F.); (L.A.D.V.); (G.C.); (T.O.); (E.P.); (B.E.G.); (G.P.); (C.L.L.); (G.E.G.); (E.A.R.); (A.M.)
| | - Robert Fruscio
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milan-Bicocca, 20126 Milan, Italy; (R.F.); (F.L.)
- Division of Gynecologic Surgery, IRCCS Fondazione San Gerardo dei Tintori, 20900 Monza, Italy
| | - Fabio Landoni
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milan-Bicocca, 20126 Milan, Italy; (R.F.); (F.L.)
- Division of Gynecologic Surgery, IRCCS Fondazione San Gerardo dei Tintori, 20900 Monza, Italy
| | - Andrea Mariani
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA; (D.F.); (L.A.D.V.); (G.C.); (T.O.); (E.P.); (B.E.G.); (G.P.); (C.L.L.); (G.E.G.); (E.A.R.); (A.M.)
| | - Tommaso Grassi
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milan-Bicocca, 20126 Milan, Italy; (R.F.); (F.L.)
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Watrowski R, Palumbo M, Guerra S, Gallo A, Zizolfi B, Giampaolino P, Bifulco G, Di Spiezio Sardo A, De Angelis MC. Uterine Tumors Resembling Ovarian Sex Cord Tumors (UTROSCTs): A Scoping Review of 511 Cases, Including 2 New Cases. MEDICINA (KAUNAS, LITHUANIA) 2024; 60:179. [PMID: 38276058 PMCID: PMC10820159 DOI: 10.3390/medicina60010179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2023] [Revised: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Uterine Tumors Resembling Ovarian Sex Cord Tumors (UTROSCTs) are rare uterine mesenchymal neoplasms with uncertain biological potential. These tumors, which affect both premenopausal and postmenopausal women, usually have a benign clinical course. Nevertheless, local recurrences and distant metastases have been described. By analyzing 511 cases retrieved from individual reports and cases series, we provide here the most comprehensive overview of UTROSCT cases available in the literature, supplemented by two new cases of UTROSCTs. Case 1 was an asymptomatic 31-year-old woman who underwent a laparoscopic resection of a presumed leiomyoma. Case 2 was a 58-year-old postmenopausal woman with abnormal vaginal bleeding who underwent an outpatient hysteroscopic biopsy of a suspicious endometrial area. In both cases, immunohistochemical positivity for Calretinin and Inhibin was noted, typical for a sex cord differentiation. In both cases, total laparoscopic hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy was performed. In light of the available literature, no pathognomonic clinical or imaging finding can be attributed to UTROSCT. Patients usually present with abnormal uterine bleeding or pelvic discomfort, but 20% of them are asymptomatic. In most cases, a simple hysterectomy appears to be the appropriate treatment, but for women who wish to become pregnant, uterus-preserving approaches should be discussed after excluding risk factors. Age, tumor size, lymphovascular space invasion, nuclear atypia, and cervical involvement are not reliable prognostic factors in UTROSCT. The current research suggests that aggressive cases (with extrauterine spread or recurrence) can be identified based on a distinct genetic and immunohistochemical phenotype. For instance, UTROSCTs characterized by GREB1::NCOA1-3 fusions and PD-L1 molecule expression appear to be predisposed to more aggressive behaviors and recurrence, with GREB1::NCOA2 being the most common gene fusion in recurrent tumors. Hence, redefining the criteria for UTROSCTs may allow a better selection of women suitable for fertility-sparing treatments or requiring more aggressive treatments in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafał Watrowski
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Helios Hospital Müllheim, 79379 Müllheim, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Mario Palumbo
- Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, University of Naples Federico II, 80138 Naples, Italy; (M.P.); (S.G.); (A.G.); (B.Z.); (P.G.); (G.B.); (A.D.S.S.); (M.C.D.A.)
| | - Serena Guerra
- Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, University of Naples Federico II, 80138 Naples, Italy; (M.P.); (S.G.); (A.G.); (B.Z.); (P.G.); (G.B.); (A.D.S.S.); (M.C.D.A.)
| | - Alessandra Gallo
- Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, University of Naples Federico II, 80138 Naples, Italy; (M.P.); (S.G.); (A.G.); (B.Z.); (P.G.); (G.B.); (A.D.S.S.); (M.C.D.A.)
| | - Brunella Zizolfi
- Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, University of Naples Federico II, 80138 Naples, Italy; (M.P.); (S.G.); (A.G.); (B.Z.); (P.G.); (G.B.); (A.D.S.S.); (M.C.D.A.)
| | - Pierluigi Giampaolino
- Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, University of Naples Federico II, 80138 Naples, Italy; (M.P.); (S.G.); (A.G.); (B.Z.); (P.G.); (G.B.); (A.D.S.S.); (M.C.D.A.)
| | - Giuseppe Bifulco
- Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, University of Naples Federico II, 80138 Naples, Italy; (M.P.); (S.G.); (A.G.); (B.Z.); (P.G.); (G.B.); (A.D.S.S.); (M.C.D.A.)
| | - Attilio Di Spiezio Sardo
- Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, University of Naples Federico II, 80138 Naples, Italy; (M.P.); (S.G.); (A.G.); (B.Z.); (P.G.); (G.B.); (A.D.S.S.); (M.C.D.A.)
| | - Maria Chiara De Angelis
- Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, University of Naples Federico II, 80138 Naples, Italy; (M.P.); (S.G.); (A.G.); (B.Z.); (P.G.); (G.B.); (A.D.S.S.); (M.C.D.A.)
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