Pathology of the uterine body

In this review we look at recent developments in the pathology of the uterine body. Factors influencing the growth of leiomyomas are evaluated together with response to medical therapy and consequent histopathological changes. Further work on carcinosarcomas tends to support the common stem-cell theory of origin, which may also be true of other sarcomas, as common chromosomal abnormalities have been found. There has been continued work on prognostic factors in endometrial carcinomas with ploidy, hormone receptor status, HER-2/neu expression, and coexistent hyperplasia confirmed as independent prognostic factors, while clear cell and serous papillary carcinomas are confirmed as poor prognostic types. Finally, recent 'tumors' associated with tamoxifen are reviewed.