Tumor Suppression in Asymptomatic Postmenopausal Endometrial Polyps

Abstract

Background/aim: To investigate tumor suppression as an indicator of malignization potential within endometrial polyps in asymptomatic postmenopausal women.

Materials and methods: Immunohistochemical studies of the phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) were performed. Cases included 52 benign postmenopausal polyps, 19 endometrioid carcinomas with coexisting benign polyps, and 12 polyps with foci of carcinoma. Controls included 31 atrophic endometria and 32 benign premenopausal polyps. PTEN was scored by quantitative methods according to staining intensity.

Results: The mean epithelial and stromal PTEN H-score in postmenopausal benign endometrial polyps (193.8 and 123.2, respectively) was significantly higher than that in the atrophic endometrium (135.5 and 90.2, p=0.008), and premenopausal benign endometrial polyps (100.7 and 198.7, p<0.001). Significant difference between postmenopausal endometrial polyps and endometrial carcinoma was noticed in the epithelial compartment (193.8 vs. 65.7, respectively, p<0.001).

Conclusion: Asymptomatic benign postmenopausal polyps have a distinctively high tumor suppression compared with endometrial cancer, suggesting low malignization potential.

Keywords: Asymptomatic; PTEN; endometrial polyps; malignancy; postmenopausal.