Endometrial metaplasia associated with endometrial carcinoma

To clarify the relationship of metaplasia to endometrial carcinoma.

Between 1984-1990, 73 cases of stage I-II endometrial carcinoma treated initially by hysterectomy were reviewed histologically. The metaplasias were classified as squamous, syncytial papillary, ciliated-cell, eosinophilic, mucinous, clear-cell, or hobnail. We assessed the histologic type and grade of the carcinoma, depth of myometrial invasion, presence or absence of lymph-vascular space invasion, and presence or absence of lymph node metastases.

Forty of 73 patients (55%) had one or more areas of metaplasia in the endometrium adjacent to the carcinoma. Ciliated-cell metaplasia (28 of 73; 38%) was the most common type encountered. Women with both endometrial carcinoma and metaplasia were significantly younger than those with carcinoma without metaplasia (P < .05). Compared with carcinomas without metaplasia, those with metaplasia were well differentiated (P < .01) and lacked myometrial invasion (P < .01) and pelvic lymph node metastases (P < .05). The presence of metaplasia was also significantly correlated with the presence of endometrial hyperplasia (P < .01).

In endometrial carcinomas, the presence of endometrial metaplasia suggests a favorable prognosis.