Outcomes Post-Laparoscopic Intervention for Accessory and Cavitated Uterine Masses: A Review and a Molecular Insight

Accessory and cavitated uterine masses (ACUM) are rare Mullerian anomalies, defined as an isolated accessory cavitated mass lined with endometrial epithelium.

This article explores ACUM lesions from two aspects and integrates a case report of a successful laparoscopic-assisted intervention for ACUM in a 24-year-old woman with refractory dysmenorrhea with a review of current literature on laparoscopic surgical techniques. Unique to this case was the process of undergoing targeted genetic sequencing via the Find ITTM Panel Version 3.4 on the ACUM, looking for mutations in KRAS, PIK3CA, and FGFR2. A process that was inspired by recent reports that indicate that even normal endometrium can harbor cancer-associated mutations.

A comprehensive search of Ovid MEDLINE and Embase was performed. Studies were selected if they explored laparoscopic surgery's impact on ACUM patients' outcomes related to fertility, menorrhagia, or dysmenorrhea. Risk of bias assessment was performed using the JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist.

From 160 articles identified, 25 full-text articles were analyzed with a total of 75 unique patients discussed. Dysmenorrhea was present in 100% of cases (n = 75/75), and laparoscopic resection improved patient symptoms in 84% (n = 63/75) of cases. The mass excised in the case was positive for somatic missense mutations in RET (R813W) and HRAS (G12S) genes, identified at low variant allele frequencies.

These results demonstrated that laparoscopic surgical approaches are effective and frequently the first surgical approach chosen for the treatment of ACUM, but that techniques to treat these conditions are not standardized. This case is the first to demonstrate mutations in ACUM, suggesting a potential role for cancer-associated somatic mutations in their genesis. Future developments in this area may include sending more of these samples for genetic analysis, improving our understanding of how these lesions are formed, while also working to standardize how they are removed.