Disseminated tumor cells are not associated with established risk factors, L1CAM immunoreactivity and outcome in endometrial carcinoma

Abstract

We were able to confirm previous findings of DTC presence in a large well-characterized cohort of endometrial carcinoma patients. DTC are detectable in almost one-fifth of endometrial carcinoma and occur less frequently with a MELF pattern of invasion. Further studies investigating the role of DTC in endometrial carcinoma are warranted.

Microcystic elongated and fragmented (MELF) pattern of invasion: Molecular features and prognostic significance in the PORTEC-1 and -2 trials

“…However, in multivariable analysis MELF invasion was not an independent prognostic factor, and this lower risk of recurrence with MELF invasion stems by its association with low-grade histology and other favorable factors. This was in line with previous findings [7,15,18].…”

“…Previous studies on MELF invasion have given a wide range of estimates on its incidence, 5.8% to 48% [7,[10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18]. Our analyses, which are based on a large number of patients, high quality data of two randomized controlled trials and a robust MELF invasion assessment, give an estimation of the incidence of MELF invasion in early-stage EC: 13.1% (95% CI, 11.0-15.3%).…”

“…Based on current literature, MELF invasion positive tumors are mostly low-grade with deep myometrial invasion, and are associated with adverse histological findings, such as lymphvascular space invasion (LVSI) and lymph node metastasis [10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17]. Although the majority of studies did not demonstrate a statistically significant negative effect of MELF invasion on clinical outcomes [7,[10][11][12][13][14][15]18], a few did [16,17,19]. Potential explanations for these differences in outcomes are the wide variety of study populations, the small number of cases, and study methods used (mostly cohort studies or case-control designs).…”

Usual-Type Endocervical Adenocarcinoma with a Microcystic, Elongated, and Fragmented Pattern of Stromal Invasion: A Case Report with Emphasis on Ki-67 Immunostaining and Targeted Sequencing Results

“…In a study of low-grade EECs [4], the MELF pattern was significantly associated with larger tumor size, myometrial invasion greater than 50%, advanced stage, LVI, and LNM; however, patients whose tumors showed a MELF pattern did not exhibit a worse prognosis than those without a MELF pattern. Other researchers also have not demonstrated significant associations between the MELF pattern and adverse clinical outcomes [1, 9, 10]. With respect to endocervical adenocarcinoma, Segura et al [2] recently investigated the prognostic value of the MELF pattern in a large cohort of patients.…”

Liquid Biopsy in Endometrial Cancer: New Opportunities for Personalized Oncology

“…Endothelial progenitor cell numbers (CD34, VEGFR2/KDR) in the peripheral blood of women with early endometrial carcinoma were significantly augmented compared with those of healthy control women, while circulating endothelial cell numbers (CD31, CD45) were similar in both groups [35]. By contrast, no prognostic significance or association with clinicopathological features have been demonstrated for the presence of disseminated tumour cells (DTC) in the bone marrow of endometrial carcinoma patients [44,45]. …”