Surgical treatment of a rare case of atypical polypoid adenomyoma of the uterus in a menopausal patient: a case report

Atypical polypoid adenomyoma is a rare benign tumor of the uterus that usually affects women of reproductive age and has an increased risk of progression into endometrial cancer. The pathogenetic mechanism has not been completely clarified. Due to the rarity of the tumor, current experience regarding the diagnostic and therapeutic approach is limited. For menopausal patients, hysterectomy seems to be the main treatment option. Our case concerns an asymptomatic menopausal patient with a vaginal delivery in her obstetric history and no hereditary history of gynecological cancer who came to the outpatient clinic for a gynecological examination. Transvaginal ultrasound revealed the presence of a large, round solid mass with increased vascularity within the endometrial cavity. A diagnostic dilation and curettage of the endometrium was performed. Histological examination of the endometrial biopsy showed an atypical polypoid adenomyoma, and it was decided to perform a total abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral adnexectomy. Histological examination of the surgical specimen of the uterus revealed no residual disease, no coexisting foci of atypical endometrial hyperplasia or endometrial cancer. The postoperative course was uneventful. The patient remains to this day under regular follow-up. The present case report highlights the significant difficulties involved in the preoperative diagnosis of atypical polypoid adenomyoma of the uterus and the difficult differential diagnosis from atypical endometrial hyperplasia and endometrial cancer, particularly in menopausal patients. At the same time, it is pointed out that despite its rarity, the early diagnosis of atypical polypoid adenomyoma, especially in young women, must be the main concern of the modern gynaecologist, in order to design the optimal treatment aimed at preserving fertility while avoiding the risk of recurrence of damage or malignant progression into endometrial cancer.

Clinical analysis of 44 cases of atypical polypoid adenomyoma of the uterus

BACKGROUND

Atypical polypoid adenomyoma (APA) is a rare intrauterine polypoid lesion that occurs predominantly in premenopausal women. Although APA was previously considered a benign lesion and treated conservatively, an increasing number of cases show that APA has a high rate of recurrence or residual disease and that it precedes the development of carcinoma. The clinical management of APA remains to be established. The aim of this study was to analyse the clinicopathological features of APA and discuss its diagnosis and prognosis.

METHODS

Forty-four patients with APA were admitted to Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital from 2005 to 2019, and their clinical and histopathologic features were evaluated. B-ultrasound was performed, and all the patients (n = 44) underwent hysteroscopy. Endometrium excision was performed by means of the four-step diagnosis and treatment method. Hysteroscopic transcervical resection (TCR) was performed in 5 patients with APA-H and 11 with APA-L. Except for one patient who underwent transcervical endometrial resection, all the patients underwent hysterectomy and salpingectomy or salpingo-oophorectomy. Data from a median follow-up of 42 months (ranging from 3 to 174 months) were available for these patients.

RESULTS

Pathological diagnosis were made according to the degree of abnormality of the APA surface glands, resulting in APA-L in 36 patients and APA-H in 8 patients. Among these patients, 28 (25 APA-L and 3 APA-H) were treated conservatively. The effect of the four-step diagnosis and treatment method as an APA therapy was excellent. During the follow-up, no evidence of recurrence was found.

CONCLUSIONS

For patients with intracavitary lesions > 1 cm, the hysteroscopic four-step diagnosis and treatment method and pathological diagnosis are the basis of clinical treatment. More than 30% of APA surface glands have complex structures characterized by branching and budding or other high-risk factors, such as endometrial hyperplasia, which are indications for hysterectomy. For patients who desire to become pregnant or to preserve the uterus, hysteroscopy with complete excision of the lesions should be the preferred treatment method. The patients should be treated and followed up closely with regular hysteroscopy and endometrial biopsy.

Hysteroscopic treatment assisted by photodynamic diagnosis for atypical polypoid adenomyoma: A report of two cases

Atypical polypoid adenomyoma (APA) is an intrauterine tumor for which hysteroscopic tumor resection allows for fertility preservation. Complete resection is important because of the high recurrence rate of APA, but is difficult due to the lack of characteristic hysteroscopic findings. We previously reported a case in which photodynamic diagnosis (PDD) was useful for detection of APA. Here, we report two additional cases of APA treated by hysteroscopic resection with PDD. The procedure was approved by the ethical committee. Case 1: A 35-year-old female who underwent hysteroscopic surgery for a submucosal tumor suspected to be APA with hypermenorrhea. Case 2: A 37-year-old female in whom hysteroscopic surgery was performed for a residual APA lesion after hormone therapy. In Case 1, PDD identified the tumor borders and this enabled as complete resection as possible. In Case 2, lesions could not be identified clearly under white light, but some areas were PDD-positive and were excised. Among 19 specimens from these two cases and the previously reported case, all PDD-positive specimens were pathologically diagnosed as APA. The sensitivity and specificity of PDD for APA were 76.9% and 100%, respectively. These results suggest that PDD can contribute to identification of APA.

Significance of stromal markers in atypical polypoid adenomyoma

Atypical polypoid adenomyoma (APA) may progress to endometrioid carcinoma and may mimic myoinvasive carcinoma on biopsy specimens. Here, we present a case of an APA of the uterine cervix hysteroscopically treated, which recurred two years after and progressed to endometrioid carcinoma. In all biopsy specimens and in the hysterectomy specimen, the benign APA component showed an unusual immunohistochemical stromal pattern (periglandular fringe-like CD10 pattern, diffuse h-caldesmon positivity, p16 negativity), which is typical of myoinvasive carcinoma. Interestingly, the other three cases of cancerized APA assessed for h-caldesmon in the literature showed diffuse stromal positivity also in the benign APA component. Our case shows that the stromal markers used for differentiating between APA and myoinvasive carcinoma may be misleading even when their pattern seems unequivocal. Furthermore, our case suggests that h-caldesmon positivity might be a prognostic marker for progression of APA to carcinoma. Further studies are encouraged in this regard.

Atypical polypoid adenomyoma treated by hysteroscopy with photodynamic diagnosis using 5-aminolevulinic acid: A case report

Surgical resection for atypical polypoid adenomyoma (APA) is an option for fertility preservation. Due to the high recurrence rate of APA, studies have been conducted to improve total resection of tumors. Photodynamic diagnosis (PDD) using 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) improves tumor resection, but this has not been applied for APA. The patient was 35-year-old. After initial treatment, the APA lesion did not disappear. We performed hysteroscopic tumor resection using 5-ALA-PDD. Only one PDD-positive lesion was found and histopathologically diagnosed as APA. Other areas were PDD-negative and showed no histopathologic APA or malignant findings. This is the first report of hysteroscopic 5-ALA-PDD for APA. This method makes it easy to identify morbid lesions, and may lead to improved total resection and decreased recurrence.

Uncommon Mixed Endometrial-Myometrial Benign Tumors of the Reproductive Tract: Literature Review

BACKGROUND

We reviewed published cases of uterus-like mass (U-LM), endomyometriosis, polypoid adenomyoma (PA), adenomyomatous polyp, atypical PA (APA), and adenomyoma.

SEARCH METHODS

PubMed, Medline, and Scopus searches of all cases published in the databases till November 26, 2018.

RESULTS

We identified 45 case reports of U-LM in the pelvis, 10 cases of endomyometriosis, 44 cases of adenomyomatous polyp, 466 cases of APA and case series of adenomyoma and PA. Most case reports focused on histological description of removed lesions with no or very limited clinical correlates. Histological descriptions were often used interchangeably, which creates considerable confusion. It is unclear if endomyometriosis warrants inclusions as a distinct entity, since the distinction is blurred between adenomyomatous polyp and PA. The glandular epithelium in atypical polypoid adenomyoma exhibits atypia and the lesions have a tendency to recur with a risk of malignant transformation. Smooth muscle metaplasia and Müllerian fusion defects have been proposed as etiology, but it is possible that the lesions do not share a common origin.

CONCLUSION

There is need for more detailed and structured description of reported cases including clinical presentation and associated pathology.

A case of endometrioid adenocarcinoma developing 8 years after conservative management for atypical polypoid adenomyoma

•Endometrioid adenocarcinoma may develop during the long-term follow-up of APA.•Atypical polypoid adenomyoma is a precursor of endometrioid adenocarcinoma.•Careful follow-up is needed for the conservative management of APA.

[Atypical polypoid adenomyoma: retrospective study about 8 cases from Jeanne-de-Flandre Hospital between 1996 and 2008]

OBJECTIVES

To propose a therapeutic approach and follow-up of patients with atypical polypoid adenomyoma (APA) wishing to remain fertile.

PATIENTS AND METHOD

We are presenting a retrospective study of eight APA cases.

RESULTS

Two patients immediately received radical treatment, and one patient had an endometrial thermocoagulation. The remaining five patients received a conservative treatment with ultrasound and hysteroscopic monitoring. Among them, two had full-term pregnancies, one is being treated for infertility, in one case, the APA disappeared after three hysteroscopy-curettages and macroprogestative treatment. Lastly, one of our patients died from an aggressive endometrioid ovarian bilateral tumour associated with an endometrial adenocarcinoma.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

Radical treatment is necessary for cases of APA in women no longer wishing to remain fertile. For those wishing to remain fertile, we can offer a conservative treatment once they have been informed regarding the associated risk of relapse, degeneration, and ovarian lesions which necessitate stricter follow-up.

Mixed Müllerian Tumors of the Female Genital Tract

Malignant mixed müllerian tumor (MMMT) and müllerian/mesodermal adenosarcoma are 2 of the most common mixed müllerian tumors of the female genital tract. MMMT is a biphasic neoplasm, composed of morphologically malignant epithelial and stromal components. MMMT should be distinguished from endometrioid adenocarcinoma with spindle cell elements, "dedifferentiated" endometrioid carcinoma, and combined adenocarcinoma and neuroendocrine carcinoma. Adenosarcoma is also biphasic; it is composed of morphologically benign or low-grade appearing epithelial components and malignant stromal components. The differential diagnosis of adenosarcoma includes MMMT, endometrial stromal tumor containing endometrioid glands, benign endometrial or endocervical polyp, adenofibroma, adenomyoma, including atypical polypoid adenomyoma, botryoid embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma (sarcoma botryoides), and endometriosis, including polypoid endometriosis. Gross and microscopic features, including immunophenotype, should permit discrimination of the various entities.