Clinical significance of cytogenetic abnormalities in uterine myomas.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the clinical characteristics of uterine myomas with cytogenetic rearrangements.

DESIGN

Comparative study of myomas with normal and abnormal karyotype.

SETTING

University hospital.

PATIENTS: Premenopausal, GnRH-agonist (GnRH-a) treated and menopausal patients.

INTERVENTIONS: Myomectomy or hysterectomy.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Karyotype analysis and clinical characteristics.

RESULTS

Clonal abnormalities occurred in 29% of uterine myomas but were not related to the age of the patient or, in untreated menopausal patients, to the size of the myoma. In GnRH-a treated and menopausal women, 48% of the myomas larger than 4 cm were associated with clonal abnormalities. Submucous myomas had significantly fewer clonal abnormalities (12%) than subserosal (29%) or intramural myomas (35%).

CONCLUSIONS

The data support the hypothesis that cytogenetic rearrangements in uterine myomas are associated with loss of steroid hormones dependency and alter the growth potential of the tumor.