Context: A comparison of PTEN and p53 expression in endometrial hyperplasia and carcinoma. Aims: To study the histomorphology and expression of PTEN and p53 markers in endometrial hyperplasia and carcinoma in histopathology samples. Settings and Design: This is a comparative study done on 40 cases of endometrial hyperplasia and 20 cases of endometrial carcinoma. Methods and Material: This is a 2 year study done on 40 cases of endometrial hyperplasia and 20 cases of endometrial carcinoma in a tertiary care hospital. Endometrial biopsies and resected specimens of uterus received at pathology department were grossed, processed and were stained by hematoxylin and eosin and examined by the pathologist. The expression of PTEN and p53 markers was evaluated on the diagnosed samples. Results: Out of 36 cases of endometrial hyperplasia without atypia, 4 atypical hyperplasias and 20 endometrioid carcinomas, loss of PTEN expression was found to be 16.7%, 25% and 80% respectively, whereas expression of p53 was found to be 5.6%, 75% and 90% respectively in the same cases. Conclusions: The loss of PTEN expression or positive expression of p53 in hyperplasias may be used as an early indicator of progression to carcinoma. The altered expressions of these markers are initiated in few cases of hyperplasia, which may progress to atypical hyperplasia, a premalignant lesion and ultimately develop into carcinoma.

Keywords: Endometrial hyperplasia; PTEN; p53; Endometrioid carcinomas; Immunohistochemistry.