Ki-67 expression in endometrial hyperplasia and Endometrial carcinoma – an observational study

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Endometrial carcinoma is the most common malignancy of female genital tract in developed countries. In India, although the incidence of endometrial carcinoma is low when compared to developed countries, there has been a steady increase, making it the fourth leading cancer and seventh leading cause for cancer deaths in women. Endometrial carcinoma is thought to develop from a continuum of premalignant lesions ranging from endometrial hyperplasia without atypia to hyperplasia with atypia to finally full blown well differentiated adenocarcinoma. Ki- 67 is a proliferative immunohistochemical marker and shows expression only during active phases of cell cycle. Its expression progressively increases from non-atypical hyperplasia, atypical hyperplasia to carcinoma and positively corresponds to histological type, grade and stage. OBJECTIVES: To study Ki-67 expression in Endometrial Hyperplasia and Endometrial Carcinoma and to differentiate these based on Ki-67 expression