Preoperative and postoperative histopathological findings in patients with endometrial hyperplasia

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to analyze and compare the histopathological findings in curettage and hysterectomy specimens, to evaluate the accuracy of histopathological diagnosis in curettage specimens, and to determine the frequency of coexisting endometrial carcinoma in patients with histopathological diagnosis of endometrial hyperplasia. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Curettage and hysterectomy specimens of 135 female patients with initially diagnosed endometrial hyperplasia were retrospectively analyzed and compared. RESULTS: Simple hyperplasia was found in 49 patients (36.3%), complex hyperplasia in 14 (10.4%), simple atypical hyperplasia in 24 (17.8%), and complex atypical hyperplasia in 48 (35.5%) patients. After hysterectomy, 59 (43.7%) patients were found to have simple hyperplasia, 12 (8.9%) complex hyperplasia, 15 (11.1%) simple atypical hyperplasia, 18 (20.7%) complex atypical hyperplasia, and 21 (15.5%) endometrial carcinoma. The accuracy of histopathological diagnosis of endometrial hyperplasia in curettage specimens was 82.2-89.6% and dependent on the types of hyperplasia. The frequency of coexisting endometrial carcinoma was significantly higher (p < 0.001) in patients with atypical hyperplasia than in patients with hyperplasia without cytological atypia. After hysterectomy, coexisting endometrial carcinoma was found in 27.8% of patients with histopathological diagnosis of atypical hyperplasia in curettage specimens. In contrast to simple atypical hyperplasia, the frequency of coexisting endometrial carcinoma was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in complex atypical hyperplasia. CONCLUSION: The frequency of coexisting endometrial carcinoma in hysterectomy specimens in patients with histopathological diagnosis of atypical hyperplasia in curettage specimens was relatively high and it should be taken into account when planning therapy.