Relationship between the classification of vascular invasion severity and the prognosis of uterine endometrial cancer

Pathologic Prognostic Factors in Endometrial Carcinoma (Other Than Tumor Type and Grade)

Although endometrial carcinoma (EC) is generally considered to have a good prognosis, over 20% of women with EC die of their disease, with a projected increase in both incidence and mortality over the next few decades. The aim of accurate prognostication is to ensure that patients receive optimal treatment and are neither overtreated nor undertreated, thereby improving patient outcomes overall. Patients with EC can be categorized into prognostic risk groups based on clinicopathologic findings. Other than tumor type and grade, groupings and recommended management algorithms may take into account age, body mass index, stage, and presence of lymphovascular space invasion. The molecular classification of EC that has emerged from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) study provides additional, potentially superior, prognostic information to traditional histologic typing and grading. This classifier does not, however, replace clinicopathologic risk assessment based on parameters other than histotype and grade. It is envisaged that molecular and clinicopathologic prognostic grouping systems will work better together than either alone. Thus, while tumor typing and grading may be superseded by a classification based on underlying genomic abnormalities, accurate assessment of other pathologic parameters will continue to be key to patient management. These include those factors related to staging, such as depth of myometrial invasion, cervical, vaginal, serosal surface, adnexal and parametrial invasion, and those independent of stage such as lymphovascular space invasion. Other prognostic parameters will also be discussed. These recommendations were developed from the International Society of Gynecological Pathologists Endometrial Carcinoma project.

A phase II trial of paclitaxel, carboplatin, and bevacizumab in advanced and recurrent endometrial carcinoma (EMCA)

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effect of adding bevacizumab to adjuvant paclitaxel and carboplatin and as maintenance on progression-free survival (PFS) in advanced or recurrent endometrial carcinoma (EMCA).

METHODS

A phase II trial was conducted in patients with measurable disease. Paclitaxel (175mg/m(2)/3h), carboplatin (AUC 5) and bevacizumab (15mg/kg) were administered q 21 days. Patients with a complete response after 6-8cycles received maintenance therapy with bevacizumab 15mg/kg q 21 days for 16cycles. Based on GOG 177 which had a 6-month PFS rate of 59%, an increase in 6-month PFS to 72% with the treatment regimen was considered of clinical interest.

RESULTS

15 patients were enrolled on protocol when accrual to the study was discontinued due to the initiation of a national randomized phase II trial. A total of 127 courses (median 8, range 1-20) of carboplatin, paclitaxel, and bevacizumab combination therapy were administered. One patient suffered a bowel perforation after her first course of therapy and was inevaluable for response. Fourteen of the 15 patients (93%, 95% CI: 82-100) were progression free at 6months. The median follow-up was 36months (7-58+). The median PFS was 18months (CI: 11-25). Five complete responses and 6 partial responses were seen for an overall response rate of 73% (CI: 45-91). The median overall survival was 58months (CI: 48-68).

CONCLUSIONS

The bevacizumab, paclitaxel, and carboplatin regimen is active and tolerable in advanced and recurrent EMCA. Its impact awaits results of the recently completed randomized phase II trial.

Prognostic impact of histological grade and vascular invasion compared with tumour cell proliferation in endometrial carcinoma of endometrioid type

AIMS

The relative impact of different prognostic factors is important for endometrial carcinoma patients. The aim of our study was to examine the combined value of histological grade [International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (FIGO)] and vascular invasion in comparison with tumour cell proliferation assessed by mitotic count and Ki67. The recently proposed binary architectural grade was also evaluated, in addition to age, depth of myometrial infiltration and FIGO stage in our population-based series of 237 endometrioid carcinomas.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The tumours were studied for several histological features, including FIGO grade, binary grade, vascular invasion, mitotic count, myometrial invasion and expression of Ki67. FIGO grade was significantly associated with all investigated histological features, including Ki67 expression. Vascular invasion was significantly more frequent in FIGO grade 3 tumours, and was associated with a diffusely infiltrative growth pattern, solid growth, necrosis and deep myometrial invasion. All variables showed a highly significant relationship with patient survival in univariate analysis. In multivariate models, FIGO grade, vascular invasion, and proliferation assessed by Ki67 expression all had independent prognostic influence in this population-based study. Comparing tumour cell proliferation (Ki67) with vascular invasion as a marker of metastatic spread, the latter had a stronger survival impact.

CONCLUSIONS

Vascular invasion and tumour cell proliferation measured by Ki67 both had independent prognostic influence, and should be considered to identify aggressive tumours of the endometrioid subtype.

Clinical value of immunohistochemically detected lymphovascular invasion in endometrioid endometrial cancer

INTRODUCTION

Lymphovascular Invasion (LVSI) of tumour cells is marked as an important step in the process of tumour metastases and is an important prognostic factor in Endometrial Cancer (EC). Currently, the standard method for assessing LVSI is light microscopic examination of H&E stained sections. Tumour cells within lymphovascular spaces can evade detection on H&E staining if they are present in very small numbers or surrounded by a greater number of circulating cells. Dual immunostaining for epithelial and endothelial cell markers cell markers has been shown to increase detection rate of LVSI significantly.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the clinical significance of LVSI as detected by H&E (LVSI-H&E) and immunohistochemically (LVSI-IHC) in clinically stage I endometrioid EC patients. Methods. Single representative section of 90 patients with stage I endometriod EC were immunostained in accordance with established streptavidin-biotin peroxidase method using a mouse monoclonal pancytokeratin (PCK), clone AE1/AE3 and CD31 endothelial cell marker. The H&E sections and their corresponding immunostained sections were re-examined to identify LVSI. Clinical records were available on 72 patients. The following data were collected: age, race, parity, presentation, associated medical disorders (obesity, diabetes and hypertension), use of Tamoxifen or HRT, menopausal state, recurrence and survival.

RESULTS

Overall, LVSI was present in 45 (50%) cases and absent in 45 (50%) cases on IHC, as compared with 17 (19%) and 73 (81%) cases, respectively, on H&E. Statistical analysis revealed significant association between LVSI-H&E and depth of myometrial invasion (P < 0.0001). The median follow-up period was 161 months (range 5-207 months). During the follow-up period, six of 14 cases with evidence of LVSI-H&E presented with recurrence as opposed to six of 58 patients with no evidence (OR = 6.26, 95%: CI = 1.3-30.6). There was a significant association between tumour recurrence rate and LVSI-H&E (P = 0.01). The 5-year recurrence-free survival was 54% for the group with H&E evidence of LVSI (95%: CI = 44-64%) compared with 89% for the group without (95%: CI = 82-97%). There was a significant difference in the recurrence-free survival between the two groups (Chi-square = 6.96, P = 0.008). In contrast, LVSI-IHC was found to be significantly associated only with high-grade tumours (P = 0.01) and survival analysis revealed no statistically significant association with recurrence or survival.

CONCLUSIONS

LVSI-H&E in stage I EC remains an important predictive factor of recurrent disease and reduced disease-free interval. Immunohistochemically detected LVSI is a common event, associated with tumour grade and appears to be of no statistically significant clinical value.