Endometrial cancer is the most common malignant tumours of the female sexual organ, its incidence has been on the rise for many years. To date, there is no reliable diagnostic marker of this disease.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the levels of HE4 protein in women with endometrial cancer and in women with uterine fibroids and to refer the results to healthy women of the same age.

Median HE4 protein in women with endometrial cancer (n=30) was 55.5 U/ml (mean ± standard deviation 75.9 ± 50.2) and was statistically significantly higher compared to women with uterine fibroids (n=30) (36.9, 40.8 ± 18.7) and healthy women of the same age (n=50) (22.5, 23.1 ± 5.1). The HE4 concentration in women with endometrial cancer increases with the depth of endometrium infiltration described in the histopathological examination. In the group of patients with endometrial cancer, three positive linear correlations were confirmed: between the preoperative blood erythrocyte concentration and the HE4 protein concentration, between the pre-operative potassium ion concentration and the HE4 protein concentration as well as between the INR measured after surgery and the HE4 protein concentration.

The authors conclude that endometrial cancer is a strong stimulus inducing the synthesis of HE4 proteins, the synthesis depends on the depth of endometrium infiltration. HE4 concentrations may be affected by higher concentrations of erythrocytes, INR and potassium. This suggests a higher value of HE4 as a cancer marker for women with endometrial cancer without comorbidities.