1. Alpha-fetoprotein producing endometrioid carcinoma arising in an adenomyoma of the uterus.
- Author
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Oyama Y, Kusaba T, Takao K, Obata E, Yano M, Kawamura K, Nishida H, and Daa T
- Subjects
- Humans, Female, Aged, Uterine Neoplasms pathology, Uterine Neoplasms metabolism, Uterine Neoplasms diagnosis, Uterine Neoplasms surgery, Glypicans metabolism, Biomarkers, Tumor metabolism, Immunohistochemistry, Endometrial Neoplasms pathology, Endometrial Neoplasms metabolism, Endometrial Neoplasms diagnosis, Transcription Factors metabolism, Carcinoma, Endometrioid pathology, Carcinoma, Endometrioid metabolism, Carcinoma, Endometrioid diagnosis, Carcinoma, Endometrioid surgery, alpha-Fetoproteins metabolism, Adenomyoma pathology, Adenomyoma metabolism, Adenomyoma diagnosis
- Abstract
We report a case of alpha-fetoprotein-producing endometrioid carcinoma (AFP-EC) that originated within an adenomyoma of the uterine corpus. A 76-year-old Japanese woman was incidentally discovered to have a uterine tumor along with multiple lung nodules. Upon surgical removal of the uterus, it was revealed that the tumor was situated within the adenomyoma. The tumor exhibited microfollicular structures and solid growth patterns, with hyaline globules, clear cell glands, and primitive tumor cells. Immunohistochemical analysis indicated the presence of germ cell markers, including AFP, SALL4, and glypican3, leading to final diagnosis of AFP-EC. Histopathologically, AFP-ECs exhibit characteristics similar to those of AFP-producing neoplasms in other organs. Furthermore, a nomenclature issue arises when distinguishing AFP-ECs from yolk sac tumors of the endometrium in older patients due to their shared features. The concept of retrodifferentiation or neometaplasia suggests that "endometrioid carcinoma with yolk sac tumor differentiation" or "endometrioid carcinoma with a primitive phenotype" may serve as more fitting terms for the diverse spectrum of AFP-producing neoplasms in the endometrium. In conclusion, this case underscores the diagnostic challenges posed by AFP-ECs arising from adenomyomas and emphasizes the need for refining the nomenclature and classification of AFP-producing neoplasms within the endometrium., (© 2024. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to The Japanese Society for Clinical Molecular Morphology.)
- Published
- 2024
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