Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 17, 2025
Sentinel Lymph Node Mapping and Biopsy for Endometrial Cancer at Early Stage with Laparoscopy
Published on: August 19, 2021
[PIK3CA Somatic Mutations Are Associated With Lymph Node Metastasis in Endometrial Cancer]
Qingyu Shen1,2, Chenfan Tian1, Xiaoxiao Luo1
1（ 400016） Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China.
Objective:
To investigate the expression levels and mutation status of phosphatidylinositol-4, 5-bisphosphate3-kinase catalytic subunit alpha (PIK3CA) in endometrial cancer (EC) and evaluate its association with lymph node metastasis in EC.
Methods:
We retrosepctively collected and analyzed EC genetic mutation testing data submitted to the Molecular Detection Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University between July 2020 and June 2022. The mutation rate of PIK3CA gene was calculated based on the sequencing results of EC patients, and the correlation between PIK3CA mutations and clinical pathological parameters, as well as protein expression consistency, was analyzed accordingly.
Results:
A total of 97 EC patients were enrolled in this study, and PIK3CA mutations were identified in approximately 48.5% (47 out of 97 cases). The rate of lymph node metastasis in patients with PIK3CA mutations was higher than that in patients with wild-type PIK3CA (21.3% vs. 6.0%, P = 0.027). Findings from univariate and multivariate logistic analyses indicated that histological subtype Ⅱ (odds ratio [OR] = 5.51; 95% CI, 1.08-28.06; P = 0.040), positive result for lymphovascular space invasion (LVSI) (OR = 7.96; 95% CI, 1.37-46.44; P = 0.021), and PIK3CA mutation (OR = 8.58; 95% CI, 1.51-48.84; P = 0.015) were independent risk factors for lymph node metastasis in EC. In addition, the receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves demonstrated that the combined use of clinicopathological parameters and PIK3CA mutations could more accurately predict lymph node metastasis in EC, with an area under the curve of 0.824 (95% CI, 0.678-0.970). It is noteworthy that there was a high consistency between PIK3CA mutations and its protein expression, and EC patients with positive expression of PIK3CA protein had a higher rate of lymph node metastasis (53.8% vs. 9.1%, P = 0.078).
Conclusion:
PIK3CA somatic mutations are strongly correlated with lymph node metastasis in EC.
Insights
Phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit alpha (PIK3CA) mutations are common in endometrial cancer (EC). PIK3CA mutations are linked to increased lymph node metastasis risk in EC patients.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
Context:
- Endometrial cancer (EC) is a prevalent gynecological malignancy.
- Understanding the molecular drivers of EC metastasis is crucial for improving patient outcomes.
- PIK3CA is frequently mutated in various cancers, but its role in EC metastasis requires further elucidation.
Purpose:
- To investigate the expression levels and mutation status of PIK3CA in endometrial cancer.
- To evaluate the association between PIK3CA mutations and lymph node metastasis in EC.
- To assess PIK3CA's utility as a predictive biomarker for EC metastasis.
Summary:
- PIK3CA mutations were identified in 48.5% of 97 EC patients.
- Patients with PIK3CA mutations showed a significantly higher rate of lymph node metastasis (21.3% vs. 6.0%).
- PIK3CA mutation, histological subtype II, and lymphovascular space invasion were independent risk factors for lymph node metastasis.
Impact:
- PIK3CA mutation status can serve as an independent predictor of lymph node metastasis in EC.
- Combined analysis of clinicopathological factors and PIK3CA mutations improves metastasis prediction accuracy (AUC=0.824).
- High consistency between PIK3CA mutations and protein expression suggests PIK3CA's functional relevance in EC progression.
Related Concept Videos
02:21Cancers Originate from Somatic Mutations in a Single Cell
02:39lncRNA - Long Non-coding RNAs