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Mesonephric-like adenocarcinomas of the uterine corpus: report of a case series and review of the literature indicating poor prognosis for this subtype of endometrial adenocarcinoma

  • Original Article – Clinical Oncology
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Abstract

Purpose

Endometrial mesonephric-like adenocarcinoma (ML-AC) represents a recently recognized subtype of endometrial adenocarcinoma (AC) associated with a subtle immunophenotype with a characteristic KRAS-mutation. Detailed clinico-pathologic analyses and prognostic data on ML-AC are limited.

Methods

We report a series of four cases with histopathological, immunohistochemical, and molecular analyses. These cases as well as the data of previously published cases were reviewed for clinico-pathologic variables and clinical follow-up information.

Results

Forty cases of ML-AC were identified. ML-AC represents about 1% of all endometrial carcinomas. Similar to other types of endometrial AC, vaginal bleeding was the leading presenting symptom, and the mean age was 60.0 years (range 31–91). More than a half of the patients presented with locally advanced disease (≥ FIGO stage II) at time of diagnosis, developed a recurrence or died of the disease within a mean follow-up period of 24.7 months (range 3–144.5 months). The most common site of distant disease was pulmonary involvement. Microscopically, ML-ACs present with mixed morphology and show a co-expression of so-called mesonephric and Müllerian markers, suggesting a Müllerian origin of the tumors. Immunostaining for PD-L1 was negative in all tested cases, using different antibodies against PD-L1. Retained staining for mismatch repair proteins on immunohistochemistry and a POLE-mutation suggest a copy number low phenotype within the molecular classification of endometrial carcinomas. Almost all cases showed a KRAS-mutation at codon 12 (mostly G12V).

Conclusion

Uterine ML-AC represents a distinct subtype of invasive endometrial AC, associated with KRAS-mutations and characteristic immunohistochemical findings. Clinically, ML-AC may show an aggressive behavior with a high rate of recurrent disease and a substantial risk for distant metastatic disease, especially to the lungs.

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Funding

The authors declare that there was no funding of the study.

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Author notes

  1. Authors Lars-Christian Horn and Anne Kathrin Höhn have contributed equally to the study and the manuscript.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Gynecologic, Breast and Perinatal Pathology, Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Leipzig, Liebigstrasse 26, 04103, Leipzig, Germany

    Lars-Christian Horn & Anne Kathrin Höhn

  2. Division Molecular Pathology, Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany

    Irene Krücken, Mathias Stiller & Ulrike Obeck

  3. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany

    Christine E. Brambs

Authors
  1. Lars-Christian Horn
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  2. Anne Kathrin Höhn
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Correspondence to Lars-Christian Horn.

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Horn, LC., Höhn, A.K., Krücken, I. et al. Mesonephric-like adenocarcinomas of the uterine corpus: report of a case series and review of the literature indicating poor prognosis for this subtype of endometrial adenocarcinoma. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 146, 971–983 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00432-019-03123-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00432-019-03123-7

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