Expression of cyclin A, cyclin E and p27 in normal, hyperplastic and frankly malignant endometrial samples.

Cellular growth is under the control of certain molecules such as cyclins and cyclin dependent kinases. Dysregulation of these proteins disrupt cell cycle and may trigger malignant transformation. Cyclins and kinase inhibitors also play essential roles in endometrial cellular proliferation. But the exact roles of these mediators in the disease process is not clear. We evaluated expression of cyclin A, cyclin E and p27 in normal, hyperplastic and malignant endometrial samples assuming different expression patterns in physiological and pathological processes. A total of 75 patients with histopathological diagnosis of normal proliferative, hyperplastic or malignant endometrial samples were evaluated with different cellular proliferation markers, cyclin A, cyclin E and p27. For cyclin E, endometrial cancer samples had higher rate of immunoreactivity than normal proliferative and hyperplastic endometrial samples. Staining properties for cyclin A were comparable for three groups. However, p27 immunoreactivity decreased progressively as lesions progress from proliferative benign endometrium to frank carcinoma. Further large-scale studies with clinical follow-up will reveal the exact role of cyclins on endometrial carcinogenesis.

Evaluation of cervical involvement in endometrial cancer by transvaginal sonography, magnetic resonance imaging and frozen section.

This study was undertaken to compare the diagnostic performance of transvaginal sonography (TVS), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and frozen section for detection of cervical involvement in endometrial cancer. The study included 64 consecutive patients with endometrial cancer. The subjects were evaluated with TVS and MRI by two radiologists and the frozen sections by a pathologist. The diagnostic accuracies of TVS, MRI and frozen section were compared using the McNemar test. The accuracy rates of TVS, MRI and frozen section were 90.6%, 92.2% and 95.5%, respectively. There were no statistical significant differences in overall diagnostic performance for the preoperative and intraoperative assessment of cervical involvement, although frozen section seemed to be slightly superior to the imaging techniques. TVS and MRI have similar performance in determination of cervical involvement. However, although time consuming and expensive, MRI may be recommended in cases with poor quality TVS. Frozen section may be advocated where preop-tests are equivocal.