RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 An Investigation of the Potential Malignant Characteristics of Endometriosis
JF Chinese Journal of Clinical Oncology
JO Cancer Biol Med
FD China Anti-Cancer Association
SP 861
OP 865
VO 2
IS 6
A1 Chengxin Wang
A1 Hongyan Zhou
A1 Xiaonan You
A1 Xiji Shu
A1 Yan Li
A1 Xiaoling Zhao
YR 2005
UL http://www.cancerbiomed.org/content/2/6/861.abstract
AB OBJECTIVE To investigate the potential malignant characteristics and pathogenesis of endometriosis as well as the role of human growth hormone and epidermal growth factor receptor in the pathogenesis of malignant transformation of endometriosis.METHODS The immunohistochemical S-P method was used to examine the expression of human growth hormone and epidermal growth factor receptor in the eutopic and ectopic endometrium of 84 cases of endometriosis.RESULTS The percentage of positive cases of human growth hormone in eutopic and ectopic endometrium was 90.77% (59/65) and 85.71% (72/ 84) respectively. The percentage of positive cases of epidermal growth factor receptor in eutopic and ectopic endometrium was 81.54% (53/65) and 89.29% (75/84) respectively. The positive rate of epidermal growth factor receptor in ectopic endometrium was higher than that in the eutopic endometrium but without a statistically significant difference (P> 0.05).CONCLUSION Endometriosis is caused by multiple factors, which possesses some biologic features of neoplastic tissue such as invasion and metastasis. Both human growth hormone and epidermal growth factor receptor are highly expressed in eutopic and ectopic endometrium, which lead directly or indirectly to the pathogenesis of endometriosis and promote the initiation and malignant transformation of endometriosis.