Aggressive angiomyxoma of the vulva: expression of estroprogestinic receptors and follow-up.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE OF INVESTIGATION To analyze aggressive angiomyxoma hormone-dependency. METHOD: Estroprogestinic receptor expression was studied by immunohistochemistry in 5 patients with aggressive angiomyxoma of the vulva. RESULTS: The immunohistochemical results confirm the positivity of angiomyxoma for estrogen and progesterone receptors. CONCLUSIONS: We hypothesized that the concomitant factor favoring neoplastic growth is a different genetic substrate specific in the female sex. Analysis of the data regarding the distribution of angiomyxomas in different age groups has strengthened this hypothesis suggesting that this tumor is correlated with complete maturity, in all probability hormonal. However it cannot be excluded that the tumor begins to develop at an early age, but since it has a slow growth rate, the phenomenon is delayed and is related to hormonal stimulation.