[Pathologic features of fallopian tubal fimbriae in patients with endometrial serous carcinoma]

To discuss the potential relationship between endometrial serous carcinoma (ESC) and tubal epithelial lesions by pathologic examination of fallopian tubes with ESC.

A total of 30 cases of typical ESC were reexamined and chosen by the pathologist. In each case, bilateral fallopian tubes were submitted to examination of pathologic morphology and immunostaining for p53, annexin IV (ANX-IV), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)/neu, and high-mobility group protein A2 (HMGA2).

Fallopian tubal epithelial lesions were found in 15 cases, including 9 cases tubal serous carcinoma, 2 cases serous tubal intraepithelial carcinoma (STIC) and 2 cases epithelial hyperplasia. Both sides of tubal serous carcinoma and STIC were found in 1 case. The results showed the positive expression for p53 in 26 (87%) out of 30 endometrial malignant specimens tissues and 9 (30%) tubal tissues samples (P > 0.05). Twenty-five (83%) endometrial malignant specimens tissues and 6 (20%) tubal tissues samples showed the positive expression of ANX-IV. Twenty-one (70%) endometrial malignant tissues and 7 (23%) tubal tissues showed the positive expression of HER2/neu. Twenty-five (83%) endometrial malignant tissues and 6 (20%) tubal tissues showed the positive expression of HMGA2. While, there were significant differences among the expression of three proteins between endometrium and the fallopian tube site (all P < 0.05).

STIC may be associated with the occurrence of ESC. The expression of p53 was positively correlated between the fallopian tube and the endometrium. ANX-IV, HER2/neu and HMGA2 were extensively expressed in ESC.