Morphological and immunohistochemical study of ovarian and tubal dysplasia associated with tamoxifen

Eur J Histochem. 2014 Apr 15;58(2):2251. doi: 10.4081/ejh.2014.2251.

Abstract

Ovarian epithelial dysplasia was initially described in material from prophylactic oophorectomies for BReast CAncer gene (BRCA) mutation. Similar histopathological abnormalities have been revealed after ovulation stimulation. Given that tamoxifen (TAM) has a clomid-like effect and is sometimes used to induce ovulation, we studied the morphological features and immunohistochemical expression patterns of neoplasia-associated markers in adnexectomies previously exposed to TAM for breast cancer. We blindly reviewed 173 histopathological slides of adnexectomies according to three groups - oophorectomie sassociated with TAM exposure (n=42), oophorectomies associated with clomiphene exposure (n=15) and a spontaneously fertile non cancerous control group (n=116). Morphological features (with an ovarian and tubal dysplasia scoring system) and immunohistochemical expression patterns of Ki-67, p53 and Aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (ALDH1 is an enzyme significantly associated with earlystage ovarian cancer) were evaluated and correlated. Mean tubal dysplasia score was significantly higher in the TAM group and clomiphene group than in controls (respectively 7.8 vs 3.5, P<0.007 and 6.8 vs 3.5, P=0.008). There is no statistical difference for the ovarian score in TAM group in comparison with the control group whereas we found a significant score for clomiphen group (6.5, P=0.009). Increased ALDH1 expression was observed in the two exposed group whereas expression patterns of Ki67 and p53 were moderate. Interestingly, ALDH1 expression was low in non-dysplastic epithelium, high in dysplasia, and constantly low in the two carcinoma. Furthermore, we confirm our previous results showing that ALDH1 may be a useful tissue biomarker in the subtle histopathological diagnosis of tubo-ovarian dysplasia.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 1 Family
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / administration & dosage
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / adverse effects*
  • Breast Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Breast Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology
  • Fallopian Tube Neoplasms* / chemically induced
  • Fallopian Tube Neoplasms* / metabolism
  • Fallopian Tube Neoplasms* / pathology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Isoenzymes / metabolism
  • Ki-67 Antigen / metabolism
  • Neoplasms, Second Primary* / chemically induced
  • Neoplasms, Second Primary* / metabolism
  • Neoplasms, Second Primary* / pathology
  • Ovarian Neoplasms* / chemistry
  • Ovarian Neoplasms* / metabolism
  • Ovarian Neoplasms* / pathology
  • Precancerous Conditions* / chemically induced
  • Precancerous Conditions* / metabolism
  • Precancerous Conditions* / pathology
  • Retinal Dehydrogenase / metabolism
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Tamoxifen / administration & dosage
  • Tamoxifen / adverse effects*
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / metabolism

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal
  • Isoenzymes
  • Ki-67 Antigen
  • TP53 protein, human
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53
  • Tamoxifen
  • Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 1 Family
  • ALDH1A1 protein, human
  • Retinal Dehydrogenase

Grants and funding

Funding: La ligue contre le cancer Foundation.