Prospective clinical study of the association between plasma level of free IGF-1 and myometrial invasion min patients with endometrial adenocarcinoma.

INTRODUCTION

Endometrial carcinoma is a common malignancy of the female genital tract. There is a strong correlation between myometrial invasion and clinical prognosis. Increasing myometrial penetration is associated with an increasing risk of pelvic and para-aortic lymph node metastasis, adnexal metastasis, positive peritoneal cytology local vault recurrence, and hematogenous spread. The causal role for Insulin-like growth factor-1 and insulin in endometrial carcinogenesis is well supported and insulin and IGF system have mitogenic and antiapoptotic activity Endometrial cancer cell lines express high-affinity insulin receptors, consistent with there being a direct biological effect of insulin and IGF system on the growth and myometrial invasion of endometrial cancer cells.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

Patients with endometrial carcinoma have been divided into three groups: tumor confined to the endometrium (stage IA, n:24), endometrial carcinoma with a minimal invasion (less than 50% of the myometrium; stage IB, n:32), and the control group (n:40). Demographic factors, estradiol and free IGF-1 plasma levels have been compared in all groups.

RESULTS

Lower Free IGF-1 plasma levels were found in patients with myometrial invasion when compared to the patients without myomnetrial invasion.

CONCLUSIONS

In the following work we have presented the current understanding of endometrial carcinoma, association between free IGF-1 plasma levels and myometrial invasion in patients with endometrial adenocarcinoma in terms of management and survival.