Immunohistochemical biomarkers are prognostic relevant in addition to the ESMO-ESGO-ESTRO risk classification in endometrial cancer.

OBJECTIVE: Pre-operative immunohistochemical (IHC) biomarkers are not incorporated in endometrial cancer (EC) risk classification. We aim to investigate the added prognostic relevance of IHC biomarkers to the ESMO-ESGO-ESTRO risk classification and lymph node (LN) status in EC. METHODS: Retrospective multicenter study within the European Network for Individualized Treatment of Endometrial Cancer (ENITEC), analyzing pre-operative IHC expression of p53, L1 cell-adhesion molecule (L1CAM), estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR), and relate to ESMO-ESGO-ESTRO risk groups, LN status and outcome. RESULTS: A total of 763 EC patients were included with a median follow-up of 5.5-years. Abnormal IHC expression was present for p53 in 112 (14.7%), L1CAM in 79 (10.4%), ER- in 76 (10.0%), and PR- in 138 (18.1%) patients. Abnormal expression of p53/L1CAM/ER/PR was significantly related with higher risk classification groups, and combined associated with the worst outcome within the 'high and advanced/metastatic' risk group. In multivariate analysis p53-abn, ER/PR- and ESMO-ESGO-ESTRO 'high and advanced/metastatic' were independently associated with reduced disease-specific survival (DSS). Patients with abnormal IHC expression and lymph node metastasis (LNM) had the worst outcome. Patients with LNM and normal IHC expression had comparable outcome with patients without LNM and abnormal IHC expression. CONCLUSION: The use of pre-operative IHC biomarkers has important prognostic relevance in addition to the ESMO-ESGO-ESTRO risk classification and in addition to LN status. For daily clinical practice, p53/L1CAM/ER/PR expression could serve as indicator for surgical staging and refine selective adjuvant treatment by incorporation into the ESMO-ESGO-ESTRO risk classification.

Tumour texture features from preoperative CT predict high-risk disease in endometrial cancer.

BACKGROUND: To enable more individualised treatment of endometrial cancer, improved methods for preoperative tumour characterization are warranted. Texture analysis is a method for quantification of heterogeneity in images, increasingly reported as a promising diagnostic tool in oncological imaging, but largely unexplored in endometrial cancer AIM: To explore whether tumour texture features from preoperative computed tomography (CT) are related to known prognostic histopathological features and to outcome in endometrial cancer patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Preoperative pelvic contrast-enhanced CT was performed in 155 patients with histologically confirmed endometrial cancer. Tumour ROIs were manually drawn on the section displaying the largest cross-sectional tumour area, using dedicated texture analysis software. Using the filtration-histogram technique, the following texture features were calculated: mean, standard deviation, entropy, mean of positive pixels (MPP), skewness, and kurtosis. These imaging markers were evaluated as predictors of histopathological high-risk features and recurrence- and progression-free survival using multivariable logistic regression and Cox regression analysis, including models adjusting for high-risk status based on preoperative biopsy, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings, and age. RESULTS: High tumour entropy independently predicted deep myometrial invasion (odds ratio [OR] 3.7, p=0.008) and cervical stroma invasion (OR 3.9, p=0.02). High value of MPP (MPP5 >24.2) independently predicted high-risk histological subtype (OR 3.7, p=0.01). Furthermore, high tumour kurtosis tended to independently predict reduced recurrence- and progression-free survival (HR 1.1, p=0.06). CONCLUSION: CT texture analysis yields promising imaging markers in endometrial cancer and may supplement other imaging techniques in providing a more refined preoperative risk assessment that may ultimately enable better tailored treatment strategies.

Maintained survival outcome after reducing lymphadenectomy rates and optimizing adjuvant treatment in endometrial cancer.

OBJECTIVE: Main controversies in endometrial cancer treatment include the role of lymphadenectomy and optimal adjuvant treatment. We assessed clinical outcome in a population-based endometrial cancer cohort in relation to changes in treatment management over two decades. METHODS: All consenting endometrial cancer patients receiving primary treatment at Haukeland University Hospital from 2001 to 2019 were included (n = 1308). Clinicopathological variables were evaluated for year-to-year changes. Clinical outcome before and after discontinuing adjuvant radiotherapy and individualizing extent of lymphadenectomy was analyzed. RESULTS: The rate of lymphadenectomy was reduced from 78% in 2001-2012 to 53% in 2013-2019. The rate of patients with verified lymph node metastases was maintained (9% vs 8%, p = 0.58) and FIGO stage I patients who did not undergo lymphadenectomy had stable 3-year recurrence-free survival (88% vs 90%, p = 0.67). Adjuvant chemotherapy for completely resected FIGO stage III patients increased from 27% to 97% from 2001 to 2009 to 2010-2019, while adjuvant radiotherapy declined from 57% to 0% (p < 0.001). These patients had improved 5-year overall- and recurrence-free survival; 0.49 [95% CI: 0.37-0.65] in 2001-2009 compared to 0.61 [0.45-0.83] in 2010-2019, p = 0.04 and 0.51 [0.39-0.68] to 0.71 [0.60-0.85], p = 0.03, respectively. For stage I, II and IV, survival rates were unchanged. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates that preoperative stratification by imaging and histological assessments permits a reduction in lymphadenectomy to around 50%, and is achievable without an increase in recurrences at 3 years. In addition, our findings support that adjuvant chemotherapy alone performs equally to adjuvant radiotherapy with regard to survival, and is likely superior in advanced stage patients.

Blood steroid levels predict survival in endometrial cancer and reflect tumor estrogen signaling.

OBJECTIVE: Blood-based biomarkers are attractive due to ease of sampling and standardized measurement technology, reducing obstacles to clinical implementation. The objective of this study was to evaluate a clinically available method of steroid hormone measurement for its prognostic potential in endometrial cancer. METHODS: We quantified seven steroid hormones by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry in 100 endometrial cancer patients from a prospective cohort. Abdominal fat distribution was assessed from abdominal computed tomography (CT) scans. Steroid hormone levels were compared to clinical characteristics, fat distribution and gene expression in primary tumor samples. RESULTS: Low levels of 17OH-progesterone, 11-deoxycortisol and androstenedione were associated with aggressive tumor characteristics and poor disease specific survival (p = .003, p = .001 and p = .02 respectively). Adjusting for preoperative risk based on histological type and grade, low 17OH-progesterone and 11-deoxycortisol independently predicted poor outcome with hazard ratios of 2.69 (p = .033, 95%CI: 1.09-6.68) and 3.40 (p = .020, 1.21-9.51), respectively. Tumors from patients with low steroid level displayed increased expression of genes related to mitosis and cell cycle progression, whereas high steroid level was associated with upregulated estrogen signaling and genes associated with inflammation. Estrone and estradiol correlated to abdominal fat volume in all compartments (total, visceral, subcutaneous, p < .001 for all), but not to the visceral fat proportion. Patients with higher levels of circulating estrogens had increased expression of estrogen signaling related genes. CONCLUSION: Low levels of certain endogenous steroids are associated with aggressive tumor traits and poor survival and may provide preoperative information independent of histological biomarkers already in use.

Asparaginase-like protein 1 expression in curettage independently predicts lymph node metastasis in endometrial carcinoma: a multicentre study.

OBJECTIVE: Correct preoperative identification of high-risk patients is important to optimise surgical treatment and improve survival. We wanted to explore if asparaginase-like protein 1 (ASRGL1) expression in curettage could predict lymph node metastases and poor outcome, potentially improving preoperative risk stratification. DESIGN: Multicentre study. SETTING: Ten hospitals in Norway, Sweden and Belgium. POPULATION: Women diagnosed with endometrial carcinoma. METHODS: ASRGL1 expression in curettage specimens from 1144 women was determined by immunohistochemistry. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: ASRGL1 status related to disease-specific survival, lymph node status, preoperative imaging parameters and clinicopathological data. RESULTS: ASRGL1 expression had independent prognostic value in multivariate survival analyses, both in the whole patient population (hazard ratio (HR) 1.63, 95% CI 1.11-2.37, P = 0.012) and in the low-risk curettage histology subgroup (HR 2.54, 95% CI 1.44-4.47, P = 0.001). Lymph node metastases were more frequent in women with low expression of ASRGL1 compared with women with high ASRGL1 levels (23% versus 10%, P < 0.001), and low ASRGL1 level was found to independently predict lymph node metastases (odds ratio 2.07, 95% CI 1.27-3.38, P = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: Low expression of ASRGL1 in curettage independently predicts lymph node metastases and poor disease-specific survival. TWEETABLE ABSTRACT: Low ASRGL1 expression in curettage predicts lymph node metastasis and poor survival in endometrial carcinoma.

DNA ploidy in curettage specimens identifies high-risk patients and lymph node metastasis in endometrial cancer.

BACKGROUND: Preoperative risk stratification is essential in tailoring endometrial cancer treatment, and biomarkers predicting lymph node metastasis and aggressive disease are aspired in clinical practice. DNA ploidy assessment in hysterectomy specimens is a well-established prognostic marker. DNA ploidy assessment in preoperative curettage specimens is less studied, and in particular in relation to the occurrence of lymph node metastasis. METHODS: Curettage image cytometry DNA ploidy in relation to established clinicopathological variables and outcome was investigated in 785 endometrial carcinoma patients prospectively included in the MoMaTEC multicentre trial. RESULTS: Diploid curettage status was found in 72.0%, whereas 28.0% were non-diploid. Non-diploid status significantly correlated with traditional aggressive postoperative clinicopathological features, and was an independent predictor of lymph node metastasis among FIGO stage I-III patients in multivariate analysis (OR 1.94, P=0.033). Non-diploid status was related to shorter disease-specific survival (5-year DSS of 74.4% vs 88.8% for diploid curettage, P<0.001). When stratifying by FIGO stage and lymph node status, the prognostic effect remained. However, in multivariate regression analysis, preoperative histological risk classification was a stronger predictor of DSS than DNA ploidy. CONCLUSIONS: Non-diploid curettage is significantly associated with aggressive clinicopathological phenotype, lymph node metastasis, and poor survival in endometrial cancer. The prognostic effect was also observed among subgroups with (presumably) less aggressive traits, such as low FIGO stage and negative lymph node status. Our results indicate curettage DNA ploidy as a possible supplement to existing parameters used to tailor surgical treatment.

Tumour apparent diffusion coefficient is associated with depth of myometrial invasion and is negatively correlated to tumour volume in endometrial carcinomas.

AIM: To explore possible correlations between tumour apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), morphological tumour volume, and clinical and histological characteristics in endometrial carcinomas and to evaluate interobserver agreement for preoperative staging by MRI and for ADC measurements. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Preoperative conventional MRI including diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) was performed in 105 endometrial carcinoma patients. Three radiologists independently reviewed the images for the presence of deep myometrial invasion, cervical stromal invasion, and lymph node metastases, and measured tumour ADC in regions of interest (ROIs). ADC values were analysed in relation to histomorphological characteristics and tumour volume. Kappa coefficients (κ) and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) for interobserver agreement for MRI staging results and ADC measurements, respectively, were calculated, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves for identification of deep of myometrial invasion were generated. RESULTS: Mean tumour ADC was significantly lower in tumours with deep myometrial invasion (ADC = 0.75 × 10(-3) mm(2)/s) compared to tumours with superficial or no myometrial invasion (ADC = 0.85 × 10(-3) mm(2)/s; p < 0.001). ADC was negatively correlated to tumour size (p = 0.007). The interobserver agreement was fair (κ = 0.32) for depth of myometrial invasion, good for cervical stromal invasion (κ = 0.66), and moderate for lymph node metastases (κ = 0.54), and the interobserver variability for ADC value measurements was low (ICC = 0.60). CONCLUSION: Tumour ADC measurements may in the future provide an adjunct tool, aiding in the preoperative identification of high-risk patients with deep myometrial infiltration.

Endometrial Carcinoma Recurrence Score (ECARS) validates to identify aggressive disease and associates with markers of epithelial-mesenchymal transition and PI3K alterations.

PURPOSE: Our previously reported 29-gene expression signature identified an aggressive subgroup of endometrial cancer patients with PI3K activation. We here wanted to validate these findings by independent patient series. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The 29-gene expression signature was assessed in fresh frozen tumor tissue from 280 primary endometrial carcinomas (three independent cohorts), 19 metastatic lesions and in 333 primary endometrial carcinomas using TCGA data, and expression was related to clinico-pathologic features and survival. The 29-gene signature was assessed by real-time quantitative PCR, DNA oligonucleotide microarrays, or RNA sequencing. PI3K alterations were assessed by immunohistochemistry, DNA microarrays, DNA sequencing, SNP arrays or fluorescence in situ hybridization. A panel of markers of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) was also correlated to the 29-gene signature score. RESULTS: High 29-gene Endometrial Carcinoma Recurrence Score (ECARS) values consistently validated to identify patients with aggressive clinico-pathologic phenotype and reduced survival. Within the presumed favorable subgroups of low grade, endometrioid tumors confined to the uterus, high ECARS still predicted a poor prognosis. The score was higher in metastatic compared to primary lesions (P<0.001) and was significantly associated with potential measures of PI3K activation, markers of EMT and vascular invasion as an indicator of metastatic spread (all P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: ECARS validates to identify aggressive endometrial carcinomas in multiple, independent patients cohorts. The higher signature score in metastatic compared to primary lesions, and the potential link to PI3K activation and EMT, support further studies of ECARS in relation to response to PI3K and EMT inhibitors in clinical trials of metastatic endometrial carcinoma.

High level of HSF1 associates with aggressive endometrial carcinoma and suggests potential for HSP90 inhibitors.

BACKGROUND: Recent identification of a specific role of HSF1 in cancer progression has led to new relevance of HSF1 as both a prognostic and a predictive marker. The role of HSF1 in endometrial cancer has so far been unexplored. METHODS: A total of 823 lesions from endometrial carcinoma precursors, primary tumours and metastases were prospectively collected and explored for HSF1 protein expression in relation to established markers for aggressive disease and survival. Transcriptional alterations related to HSF1 protein level were investigated by microarray analysis for 224 freshly frozen samples in parallel. RESULTS: High expression of HSF1 protein in endometrial carcinoma is significantly associated with aggressive disease and poor survival (all P-values ≤ 0.02), also among ERα-positive patients presumed to have good prognosis. The HSF1-related gene signatures increase during disease progression and were also found to have prognostic value. Gene expression analyses identified HSP90 inhibition as a potential novel therapeutic approach for cases with high protein expression of HSF1. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrate for the first time in endometrial cancer that high expression of HSF1 and measures for transcriptional activation of HSF1 associate with poor outcome and disease progression. The HSP90 inhibitors are suggested as new targeted therapeutics for patients with high HSF1 levels in tumour in particular.

Increased microvascular proliferation is negatively correlated to tumour blood flow and is associated with unfavourable outcome in endometrial carcinomas.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to study the angiogenic profile based on histomorphological markers in endometrial carcinomas in relation to imaging parameters obtained from preoperative dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and to explore the potential value of these markers to identify patients with poor outcome. METHODS: In fifty-four surgically staged endometrial carcinoma patients, immunohistochemical staining with factor VIII and Ki67 allowed assessment of microvessel density (MVD) and microvascular proliferation reflecting tumour angiogenesis. In the same patients, preoperative pelvic DCE-MRI and DWI allowed the calculation of parameters describing tumour microvasculature and microstructure in vivo. RESULTS: Microvascular proliferation was negatively correlated to tumour blood flow (Fb) (r=-0.36, P=0.008), capillary permeability surface area product (PS) (r=-0.39, P=0.004) and transfer from the blood to extravascular extracellular space (EES) (Ktrans) (r=-0.40, P=0.003), and was positively correlated to tumour volume (r=0.34; P=0.004). High-tumour microvascular proliferation, low Fb and low Ktrans were all significantly associated with reduced progression/recurrence-free survival (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Disorganised angiogenesis with coexisting microvascular proliferation and low tumour blood flow is a poor prognostic factor supporting that hypoxia is associated with progression and metastatic spread in endometrial carcinomas.

A discordant histological risk classification in preoperative and operative biopsy in endometrial cancer is reflected in metastatic risk and prognosis.

INTRODUCTION: In endometrial cancer, tissue for histological evaluation is obtained preoperatively (endometrial biopsy) and operatively (hysterectomy specimen). We investigated if a discordant risk classification based on preoperative and operative biopsy is reflected in metastatic risk and prognosis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: One thousand three hundred and seventy-four patients were prospectively included in a multicentre setting (Molecular Markers for Treatment of Endometrial Cancer (MoMaTEC) study). Preoperative and operative specimens were classified as high risk if non-endometrioid histology or endometrioid grade 3; otherwise low risk. Disease specific survival differences were calculated by means of Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazard models. RESULTS: Discordant risk was found in 207 (16%) cases. Lymph node metastases were detected in 7% and 23% of patients with concordant low and high risk respectively versus 14% and 20% in the discordant groups (p<0.001). Five-year disease specific survival in the discordant groups proved intermediate (75-80%) to concordant low (94%) or high (58%) risk. Both operative and preoperative biopsy high-risk results have independent prognostic impact on disease specific survival with adjusted hazard ratios of 2.4 (95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.5-3.9) and 2.1 (95% CI 1.3-3.2) respectively by Cox analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Discordant risk in preoperative biopsy and hysterectomy identifies an intermediate group with respect to disease spread and prognosis. Preoperative biopsy results remain important also with the hysterectomy histology available.

KRAS gene amplification and overexpression but not mutation associates with aggressive and metastatic endometrial cancer.

BACKGROUND: Three quarter of endometrial carcinomas are treated at early stage. Still, 15 to 20% of these patients experience recurrence, with little effect from systemic therapies. Homo sapiens v-Ki-ras2 Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogenes homologue (KRAS) mutations have been reported to have an important role in tumorigenesis for human cancers, but there is limited knowledge regarding clinical relevance of KRAS status in endometrial carcinomas. METHODS: We have performed a comprehensive and integrated characterisation of genome-wide expression related to KRAS mutations and copy-number alterations in primary- and metastatic endometrial carcinoma lesions in relation to clinical and histopathological data. A primary investigation set and clinical validation set was applied, consisting of 414 primary tumours and 61 metastatic lesions totally. RESULTS: Amplification and gain of KRAS present in 3% of the primary lesions and 18% of metastatic lesions correlated significantly with poor outcome, high International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics stage, non-endometrioid subtype, high grade, aneuploidy, receptor loss and high KRAS mRNA levels, also found to be associated with aggressive phenotype. In contrast, KRAS mutations were present in 14.7% of primary lesions with no increase in metastatic lesions, and did not influence outcome, but was significantly associated with endometrioid subtype, low grade and obesity. CONCLUSION: These results support that KRAS amplification and KRAS mRNA expression, both increasing from primary to metastatic lesions, are relevant for endometrial carcinoma disease progression.

Loss of GPER identifies new targets for therapy among a subgroup of ERα-positive endometrial cancer patients with poor outcome.

BACKGROUND: The G protein-coupled oestrogen receptor, GPER, has been suggested as an alternative oestrogen receptor. Our purpose was to investigate the potential of GPER as a prognostic and predictive marker in endometrial carcinoma and to search for new drug candidates to improve treatment of aggressive disease. MATERIALS AND METHOD: A total of 767 primary endometrial carcinomas derived from three patient series, including an external dataset, were studied for protein and mRNA expression levels to investigate and validate if GPER loss identifies poor prognosis and new targets for therapy in endometrial carcinoma. Gene expression levels, according to ERα/GPER status, were used to search the connectivity map database for small molecular inhibitors with potential for treatment of metastatic disease for receptor status subgroups. RESULTS: Loss of GPER protein is significantly correlated with low GPER mRNA, high FIGO stage, non-endometrioid histology, high grade, aneuploidy and ERα loss (all P-values ≤0.05). Loss of GPER among ERα-positive patients identifies a subgroup with poor prognosis that until now has been unrecognised, with reduced 5-year survival from 93% to 76% (P=0.003). Additional loss of GPER from primary to metastatic lesion counterparts further supports that loss of GPER is associated with disease progression. CONCLUSION: These results support that GPER status adds clinically relevant information to ERα status in endometrial carcinoma and suggest a potential for new inhibitors in the treatment of metastatic endometrial cancers with ERα expression and GPER loss.

Revision of FIGO surgical staging in 2009 for endometrial cancer validates to improve risk stratification.

OBJECTIVE: Correct staging is a cornerstone in cancer treatment. The FIGO surgical staging for endometrial cancer was revised in 2009. We have evaluated if the revision improved stratification with respect to prognosis in a large prospective multicenter setting. METHODS: 1268 endometrial cancer patients have been prospectively recruited in the MoMaTEC study for the investigation of clinical and histopathological data. RESULTS: Restaging from FIGO 88 to FIGO 09 criteria increased the number of stage I cases from 932 to 979. The majority of the non-endometrioid tumors, down-staged to FIGO 09 stage I, were of serous histology. One third of the patients classified as stage II tumors based on FIGO 88 criteria (FIGO88 IIA) were down-staged to FIGO 09 IA (53%) and FIGO 09 IB (47%). The histological subtype for these cases was mainly endometrioid (86.1%) and high/intermediate grade (77.7%). Patients with FIGO 88 stages IA, IB, IIA and IIIA with positive cytology only, showed similar survival. In Cox multivariate survival analysis adjusting for histopathological variables we found that the revised FIGO 09 criteria improved prognostication. For FIGO stage I patients the adjusted HR was 3.9 (p=0.01, CI 1.35-11.36) for FIGO IB compared to FIGO IA. The independent prognostic impact for the FIGO 09 staging was also confirmed in a subset analysis of patients not subjected to lymphadenectomy and for the endometrioid subgroup. CONCLUSIONS: The FIGO 2009 staging system has improved prediction of prognosis, and is less complex, compared to earlier versions. Careful assessment of myometrial invasion seems particularly important for patients not subjected to lymphadenectomy.

High BMI is significantly associated with positive progesterone receptor status and clinico-pathological markers for non-aggressive disease in endometrial cancer.

BACKGROUND: Endometrial cancer incidence is increasing in industrialised countries. High body mass index (BMI, kg m(-2)) is associated with higher risk for disease. We wanted to investigate if BMI is related to clinico-pathological characteristics, hormone receptor status in primary tumour, and disease outcome in endometrial cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In total, 1129 women primarily treated for endometrial carcinoma at Haukeland University Hospital during 1981-2009 were studied. Body mass index was available for 949 patients and related to comprehensive clinical and histopathological data, hormone receptor status in tumour, treatment, and follow-up. RESULTS: High BMI was significantly associated with low International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage, endometrioid histology, low/intermediate grade, and high level of progesterone receptor (PR) mRNA by qPCR (n=150; P=0.02) and protein expression by immunohistochemistry (n=433; P=0.003). In contrast, oestrogen receptor (ERα) status was not associated with BMI. Overweight/obese women had significantly better disease-specific survival (DSS) than normal/underweight women in univariate analysis (P=0.035). In multivariate analysis of DSS adjusting for age, FIGO stage, histological subtype, and grade, BMI showed no independent prognostic impact. CONCLUSION: High BMI was significantly associated with markers of non-aggressive disease and positive PR status in a large population-based study of endometrial carcinoma. Women with high BMI had significantly better prognosis in univariate analysis of DSS, an effect that disappeared in multivariate analysis adjusting for established prognostic markers. The role of PR in endometrial carcinogenesis needs to be further studied.

Integrated genomic profiling of endometrial carcinoma associates aggressive tumors with indicators of PI3 kinase activation.

Although 75% of endometrial cancers are treated at an early stage, 15% to 20% of these recur. We performed an integrated analysis of genome-wide expression and copy-number data for primary endometrial carcinomas with extensive clinical and histopathological data to detect features predictive of recurrent disease. Unsupervised analysis of the expression data distinguished 2 major clusters with strikingly different phenotypes, including significant differences in disease-free survival. To identify possible mechanisms for these differences, we performed a global genomic survey of amplifications, deletions, and loss of heterozygosity, which identified 11 significantly amplified and 13 significantly deleted regions. Amplifications of 3q26.32 harboring the oncogene PIK3CA were associated with poor prognosis and segregated with the aggressive transcriptional cluster. Moreover, samples with PIK3CA amplification carried signatures associated with in vitro activation of PI3 kinase (PI3K), a signature that was shared by aggressive tumors without PIK3CA amplification. Tumors with loss of PTEN expression or PIK3CA overexpression that did not have PIK3CA amplification also shared the PI3K activation signature, high protein expression of the PI3K pathway member STMN1, and an aggressive phenotype in test and validation datasets. However, mutations of PTEN or PIK3CA were not associated with the same expression profile or aggressive phenotype. STMN1 expression had independent prognostic value. The results affirm the utility of systematic characterization of the cancer genome in clinically annotated specimens and suggest the particular importance of the PI3K pathway in patients who have aggressive endometrial cancer.

Self-sampled and air-dried cervicovaginal secretions can be used for analyses of mucosal antibodies.

Cervicovaginal secretions were collected from 26 women (13 premenopausal and 13 postmenopausal) using a new sampling device (MucoSafeTM) with an absorbent which was introduced into the vagina and retrieved by the women themselves, after which it was air-dried and stored for months at room temperature until extraction of immunoglobulins. Cervical secretions were also collected by absorbent cylindrical wicks (Polyfiltronics) which were introduced into the cervical canal during speculum examination and thereafter kept frozen until extraction. The concentrations of specific IgA and IgG antibodies (to group B streptococci) in extracts from both methods were corrected by reference to total immunoglobulin levels. Three pairs of samples, all from postmenopausal women, were excluded from analysis due to undetectable levels of antibodies in the MucoSafeTM specimen. In the remaining 23 pairs, corrected concentrations of IgA and IgG antibodies in samples obtained by MucoSafeTM correlated well with the corresponding concentrations in wick samples, R = 0.84 (p < 0.0001) and R = 0.69 (p = 0.0002), respectively. Thus, cervicovaginal secretions for antibody measurements can be obtained by this novel method for self-sampling, obviating the need for speculum examination and storage of frozen samples.

[Nasoenteral tube feeding in hyperemesis gravidarum. An alternative to parenteral nutrition]. / Nasoenteral sondeernaering ved hyperemesis gravidarum. Et alternativ til parenteral ernaering.

A severe form of hyperemesis gravidarum involving maternal weight loss greater than 5% of the prepregnant weight occurs in up to 0.1-0.2% of all pregnancies and may lead to retarded foetal growth. Treatment consists of hospitalisation, antiemetics and correction of fluid and electrolyte deficiencies. If severe vomiting and weight loss continues, the mother must receive supplementary nutrition, usually parenteral. Nasoenteral tube feeding is a well documented method of nutrition for other patients. A gastroscopically placed nasojejunal tube as part of the treatment of hyperemesis gravidarum has not been reviewed before. Seven women with severe hyperemesis gravidarum were treated with nasojejunal tube feeding. The tube was positioned gastroscopically. Enteral feeding continued for up to 41 days, leading to reasonable weight gain. The tube was tolerated well by most patients and no serious adverse effects were seen. Nasoenteral nutrition ought to be considered as an alternative to parenteral nutrition for treatment of hyperemesis gravidarum.