Korean J Pathol.  1996 Aug;30(8):680-686.

Effects of Progesterone Treatment on the Squamous or Morular Metaplasia Associated with Endometrial Hyperplasia

• Kim KR
• Ahn HJ

Abstract

During evaluation of follow-up curettage of endometrial hyperplasia after progesterone treatment, we have noticed that the foci of squamous or morular metaplasia are persistent or even markedly increased after the hyperplastic glands have all disappeared. These observations have led us to study the histological changes of squamous or morular metaplasia in the hyperplastic endometrium after progesterone treatment and to examine the changes of estrogen receptors(ER) and progesterone receptors(PR) to find out, if there is any pathogenetic role of progesterone administration on the squamous or morular metaplasia. Squamous or morular metaplasia was associated in 21 cases (13.5 %) out of 156 endometrial hyperplasia during the study periods and all of them were associated with complex hyperplasia, but not associated with simple hyperplasia. At follow-up curettage after progesterone treatment, squamous metaplasia newly appeared in 3 cases(20 %), markedly increased in 4 cases(26.7%), persisted in 4 cases(26.7%) and decreased in 4 cases(26.7%), even after hyperplastic glands have all disappeared or were markedly decreased. On immunohistochemical staining, metaplastic foci showed ER- and PR- in 13 cases (87 %) in contrast to the surrounding endometrium and the remaining 2 cases showed minimal ER+ and PR+ confined to several nuclei. Intensity or staining pattern of ER and PR in metaplastic foci were not changed with progesterone treatment. In the background endometrium, intensity of glandular ER+ and PR + was higher than that of the stroma at the initial curettage, however, progesterone treatment predominantly down-regulated glandular ER+ more than stromal ER+. Increment or persistence of squamous metaplasia along the progesterone treatment seemingly would implicate hormonal influences as playing a significant role in the formation of squamous or morular metaplasia and the absence of cellular receptors for these hormones in the metaplastic foci may suggest qualitative changes in the receptors.

Keyword

Endometrial hyperplasia; Progesterone treatment; Squamous metaplasia; Histologic change