Endometrial ablation; less is more? Historical cohort study comparing long-term outcomes from two time periods and two treatment modalities for 854 women.

Background: Abnormal uterine bleeding needs surgical treatment if medical therapy fails. After introduction of non-hysteroscopic endometrial ablation as alternative to hysteroscopic endometrial resection, we aimed to compare short and long-term outcomes for women treated with these two minimally-invasive procedures. A secondary goal was comparing the present cohort to a previous cohort of women treated with hysteroscopic resection only.

Impact of night shifts on laparoscopic skills and cognitive function among gynecologists.

Objective: To assess whether gynecologists have impaired laparoscopic skills and/or reduced cognitive function after long on-call hours.

Design: Prospective cohort study.

Setting: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Norway.

Deoxyribonucleic acid ploidy in endometrial carcinoma: a reproducible and valid prognostic marker in a routine diagnostic setting.

Objective: The objective of the study was to investigate the prognostic impact of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) ploidy in endometrial carcinoma in a routine diagnostic series as compared with a research series.

Study Design: We studied a population-based series of 363 endometrial carcinomas prospectively collected, with long and complete follow-up. The prognostic value of DNA ploidy was investigated in a routine diagnostic series (n=262) and compared with the results from a previous research series (n=101).

Biologic markers in endometrial cancer treatment.

With a lifetime risk among women of 2-3%, endometrial cancer is the most common pelvic gynecologic malignancy in industrialized countries. Approximately 75% of cases are diagnosed at an early stage with a tumor confined to the uterine corpus. Although most patients are cured by surgery alone, about 15-20% with no signs of locally advanced or metastatic disease at primary treatment recurs, with limited responsiveness to systemic therapy.

GATA3 expression in estrogen receptor alpha-negative endometrial carcinomas identifies aggressive tumors with high proliferation and poor patient survival.

Objective: The transcription factor GATA3 has recently been found to be involved in the carcinogenesis for numerous cancers. We investigated this marker in relation to clinicopathologic characteristics, hormone receptors, other biomarkers, and survival in endometrial carcinoma.

Study Design: A population-based study of 316 endometrial carcinomas with complete follow-up was studied for GATA3, estrogen receptor (ER)-alpha, ERbeta2, and progesterone receptor (PR) expression.

Drug-sensitive FGFR2 mutations in endometrial carcinoma.

Oncogenic activation of tyrosine kinases is a common mechanism of carcinogenesis and, given the druggable nature of these enzymes, an attractive target for anticancer therapy. Here, we show that somatic mutations of the fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2) tyrosine kinase gene, FGFR2, are present in 12% of endometrial carcinomas, with additional instances found in lung squamous cell carcinoma and cervical carcinoma. These FGFR2 mutations, many of which are identical to mutations associated with congenital craniofacial developmental disorders, are constitutively activated and oncogenic when ectopically expressed in NIH 3T3 cells.

HER-2/neu expression is associated with high tumor cell proliferation and aggressive phenotype in a population based patient series of endometrial carcinomas.

Gene alterations and overexpression of various oncogenes and cell-cycle regulators are important in tumor development. In a population based series of 316 endometrial carcinomas with long and complete follow-up we investigated the distribution of HER-2/neu and EGFR expression and copy number alteration in endometrial cancers. HER-2/ neu, EGFR and Ki-67 expression in curettage and hysterectomy specimens were studied immunohistochemically for expression in relation to molecular markers and clinical phenotype.

Pathologic expression of p53 or p16 in preoperative curettage specimens identifies high-risk endometrial carcinomas.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the prognostic impact of p53 and p16 expression in curettage material from patients with endometrial carcinoma.

Study Design: Preoperative curettage material from a population-based series of 236 endometrial carcinomas from Norway with long and complete follow-up was studied immunohistochemically for p53 and p16 expression.

Results: Pathologic expression of p53 and p16 was seen in 24% and 25%, respectively, and was significantly correlated with high International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage and serous/clear cell histologic subtypes.