Urokinase-like plasminogen activator as a marker of endometrial neoplasia

Urokinase-like plasminogen activator (ULPA) was determined with a radioimmunoassay in uterine aspirates from 67 patients prior to curettage. In women with normal endometrial histology the mean concentration of ULPA was 5.4 +/- 2.5 microgram per liter. Only one of this aspirates contained more than 8 microgram per liter. In cases with malignant histology ULPA was above this level in 10 of 11 with a mean concentration of 31.2 +/- 31.4 microgram per liter. In cases with glandular cystic hyperplasia and/or adenomatous hyperplasia 6 of 15 had values above 8 microgram per liter with a mean of 10.3 +/- 6.1 microgram per liter. In addition to other parameters of malignancy such as cytology, detection of ULPA in uterine fluid might prove useful in screening examinations for endometrial neoplasia.