Estrogen and Progesterone Receptor Expression in Endometrioid Endometrial Carcinomas: A Clinicopathological Study

Background: This study assesses the expressions of estrogen and progesterone receptors in endometrioid carcinomas of the endometrium and their association with established clinicopathological prognostic parameters.Methods: We reviewed the pathology and medical records from ۴۵ cases of endometrioid endometrial carcinomas that were seen from ۲۰۰۶ to ۲۰۱۱ for relevant clinical and histological parameters. Grade I and stage IA tumors were analyzed and compared with higher grades and stages IB- IV. Estrogen and progesterone immunostained slides were analyzed.Results: Patients’ age ranged from ۳۲ to ۷۷ years (mean: ۵۸.۱۳ years). Postmenopausal bleeding was the most common presenting complaint seen in ۷۵.۶% of cases. Associated co-morbidities such as diabetes, hypertension and other malignancies were seen in ۸۸% of cases. Myometrial invasion of less than ۵۰% of myometrial thickness was seen in ۷۰.۵% cases. There were ۴۰% of tumors classified as FIGO grade ۱ and ۶۵.۸۵% were FIGO stage IA. Estrogen and progesterone expressions were seen in ۴۰ (۹۰%) cases, predominantly in FIGO stage I disease. However there was no statistically significant association of estrogen and progesterone expression with any of the clinicopathological prognostic factors. In ۲۳ of the ۳۰ cases that had follow up data, there was no evidence of disease. Of these, only one case was negative for both hormone receptors. Progesterone positivity alone was seen in ۸۷% of cases with no evidence of disease.Conclusions: Nuclear immunostaining with estrogen and progesterone was seen in the majority of cases (۹۰%). Although we have observed a linear increase in progesterone receptor positivity with disease-free survival, this finding needs to be confirmed with additional, larger studies.