PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Vandenput, Ingrid AU - Trovik, Jone AU - Leunen, Karin AU - Wik, Elisabeth AU - Stefansson, Ingunn AU - Akslen, Lars AU - Moerman, Philippe AU - Vergote, Ignace AU - Salvesen, Helga AU - Amant, Frédéric TI - Evolution in Endometrial Cancer: Evidence From an Immunohistochemical Study AID - 10.1097/IGC.0b013e31820575f5 DP - 2011 Jan 01 TA - International Journal of Gynecologic Cancer PG - 316--322 VI - 21 IP - 2 4099 - http://ijgc.bmj.com/content/21/2/316.short 4100 - http://ijgc.bmj.com/content/21/2/316.full SO - Int J Gynecol Cancer2011 Jan 01; 21 AB - Background: It is poorly described how endometrial cancer biology changes during tumor evolution. We hypothesize that characterization of molecular targets in recurrent lesions is more relevant for targeting treatment.Methods: Paired biopsies from primary and recurrent endometrial cancer tumors (n = 85) were stained immunohistochemically for the following proteins: estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), stathmin (correlating with phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase activity), HER-2/neu, WT1 (Wilms tumor gene 1), phospho-mammalian target of rapamycin (p-mTOR), and p53. Each tumor was scored, using a semiquantitative and subjective grading system. Discordance, a change in expression between primary and recurrent tumor, was defined as ≥2 step change; concordance was ≤1 step change. The frequency of change was correlated with established prognostic markers in endometrial cancer.Results: Fifty-six patients (67%) were diagnosed with endometrioid carcinoma, 23 (27%) with serous/clear cell carcinoma. A change in expression between primary and recurrent tumor was noted in 7% to 31% of patients for ER, PR, stathmin, HER-2/neu, WT1, p-mTOR, and p53. Concordant-positive cases for PR were significantly correlated with stage, tumor grade, and histological subtype. Expression of ER, p53, and p-mTOR in cytoplasm in the recurrent tumor correlated significantly with survival.Conclusions: Endometrial cancer biology changes over time. The decision on targeted treatment should preferably be based on recurrent tumor characteristics.