Open Access
ARTICLE
Immunocytochemical examination of PTEN and Ki-67 for endometrial carcinoma using thin-layer endometrial preparations
XI YANG1, KE MA1,*, RUI CHEN1, NAIYI ZHANG2, YITING MENG3, JIA WEN1, QINPING LIAO1
1 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, Medical Center of Tsinghua University, Beijing, 102218, China
2 Department of Gynecology, Beijing Cancer Hospital, Beijing, 100142, China
3 Department of Pathology, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, Medical Center of Tsinghua University, Beijing, 102218, China
* Address correspondence to: Ke Ma,
BIOCELL 2021, 45(4), 923-932. https://doi.org/ 10.32604/biocell.2021.013625
Received 13 August 2020; Accepted 21 December 2020; Issue published 22 April 2021
Abstract
The current study is designed to evaluate certain immunocytochemical (ICC) biomarkers to gain a better
cytodiagnosis. For this purpose, 85 patients from March 2016 to March 2019 who planned to get a hysteroscopy assay
were recruited. Cytological sampling was conducted by scratching the uterus cavity using SAP-1, and the samples were
processed as liquid-based smears, using SurePath technology. 36 patients diagnosed with EC or atypical endometrial
hyperplasia were recruited in this study. 33 cases were diagnosed with EC, and 3 cases were diagnosed with atypical
endometrial hyperplasia, allocated with EC or precancerous lesions group. 26 cases were diagnosed with benign lesions
group. Among these cases, 9 cases were diagnosed with endometrial simple hyperplasia, 2 cases were diagnosed with
complicated hyperplasia, 5 cases were diagnosed with an irregular proliferation of endometrium and 10 cases were
diagnosed with endometrial polyps. There were 23 cases in the healthy group. Staining in thin-layer endometrial
preparations by ICC and using H-score or counting the percentage of stained cells. The presentation of PTEN in normal
endometrium, benign lesions, and EC/precancerous lesions were different (
p < 0.01). Taking the cut-off value of 50
(Youden’s index: 0.698) PTEN expression for the diagnosis of EC/precancerous lesion, the sensitivity and specificity
were 83.7% and 86.1%. The presentation of Ki-67 in normal endometrium, benign lesions, and EC/precancerous lesions
were different (
p < 0.01). Taking the cut-off value of 15% (Youden’s index: 0.76) Ki-67 expression for the diagnosis of
EC/precancerous lesion, the sensitivity and specificity were 94.4% and 81.6%. In this study, the use of different cut-off
values for Ki-67 and PTEN helped differentiate endometrial lesions. Immunocytochemistry in the ECT detection of
PTEN and Ki-67 can improve the diagnostic capabilities of endometrial cancer and precancerous lesions.
Keywords
Cite This Article
YANG, X., MA, K., CHEN, R., ZHANG, N., MENG, Y. et al. (2021). Immunocytochemical examination of PTEN and Ki-67 for endometrial carcinoma using thin-layer endometrial preparations.
BIOCELL, 45(4), 923–932. https://doi.org/ 10.32604/biocell.2021.013625