Regression of latent endometrial precancers by progestin infiltrated intrauterine device

PTEN tumor suppressor inactivation is the earliest step in endometrial carcinogenesis, occurring in morphologically unremarkable endometrial glands in half of normal women. We test the hypothesis that sex hormones positively or negatively select for these "latent precancers" by examining their emergence, persistence, and regression rates under differing hormonal conditions. Perimenopausal and postmenopausal women had an intake endometrial biopsy and underwent hormonal therapy with progestin-impregnated intrauterine device (IUD; n = 21), cyclic oral progestins (n = 28), or surveillance only (n = 22) with follow-up biopsies. For comparison, premenopausal naturally cycling endometrial biopsies were studied as single time points in 87 patients and multiple surveillance time points in 34 patients. Biopsies in which any PTEN protein-null glands were found by immunohistochemistry were scored as containing a latent endometrial precancer. All groups had a similar proportion of latent precancers at intake but differed after therapy. Emergence rates were highest (21%) for the naturally cycling premenopausal group compared with just 9% for untreated perimenopausal women. The IUD group had the highest rate of regression, with a 62% pretherapy and 5% post-therapy rate of latent precancers. This contrasted to nonsignificant changes for the oral progestin and untreated control groups. Delivery of high doses of progestins locally to the endometrium by IUD leads to ablation of preexisting PTEN-inactivated endometrial latent precancers and is a possible mechanism for reduction of long-term endometrial cancer risk known to occur in response to this hormone.