Endometrial carcinoma ranks the seventh most common malignant
tumor worldwide. The distinction between
atypical endometrial hyperplasia (AEH) and
endometrial carcinoma, especially the well-differentiated grade, is particularly difficult with overlapping distinguishing criteria and small biopsy.
Ghrelin is 28
amino acid peptide that is synthesized by gastric mucosa and is expressed in a variety of normal and
tumor tissues. In endometrial tissue, it is expressed during the menstrual cycle, involved in the uterine development and cyclic growth. Data regarding role of
Ghrelin in
endometrial carcinoma are contradictory. In the present study, immunohistochemical expression of
Ghrelin was evaluated in 55
endometrioid carcinoma cases, as well as 26
endometrial hyperplasia cases. The relationship between
Ghrelin expression and clinicopathologic features of
endometrioid carcinoma was studied as well.
Ghrelin loss or reduced expression was significantly related to
endometrioid carcinoma, especially the well-differentiated type, compared with AEH and EIN (p = 0.000 and 0.006, respectively).
Ghrelin loss was also related to poorly differentiated histologic grades of
endometrioid carcinoma (p = 0.04).
Ghrelin loss is helpful in differentiation between AEH and EIN from
endometrioid adenocarcinoma, especially the well-differentiated grade. It could be also related to poor differentiation.