Estrogen receptors and progesterone receptors expression in endometrial carcinoma in diabetic versus nondiabetic patients

Abstract

Introduction 

Egypt has been listed as one of the top 10 countries in terms of the prevalence of diabetes, which is associated with a two-fold increased risk of endometrial cancer (EC). EC is the most common gynecologic cancer and is largely hormone dependent.

Aim 

In the current work, the expression of estrogen and progesterone receptors (ER and PR) was assessed in EC tissue among both diabetic and nondiabetic EC patients.

Materials and methods 

Immunohistochemical staining of sections from paraffin-embedded EC tissue for ER and PR was carried out. Histopathologic factors and ER/PR expression as well as the difference in their expression between diabetic and nondiabetic cases were studied and statistically analyzed.

Results 

Expression of ER and PR was detected in 94% of the cases studied. No statistical difference in ER/PR expression in the glands or the stroma was detected between diabetic and nondiabetic EC patients. Further, ER and PR expression was significantly related to tumor grade, with no difference between diabetics and nondiabetics in tumor grade.

Conclusion 

There was no difference in the expression patterns of ER and PR in the glands and stroma between diabetic and nondiabetic EC patients. The parallel expression of both receptors was inversely proportional to the tumor grade.