Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Case Reports
. 2012 Feb;119(2 Pt 2):423-426.
doi: 10.1097/AOG.0b013e318234d97c.

Progestin intrauterine device in an adolescent with grade 2 endometrial cancer

Alaina J Brown  1 , Shannon N Westin, Russell R Broaddus, Kathleen Schmeler
Affiliations
Case Reports

Progestin intrauterine device in an adolescent with grade 2 endometrial cancer

Alaina J Brown et al. Obstet Gynecol. 2012 Feb.

Abstract

Background: The treatment of endometrial cancer in young women who desire future fertility poses several challenges. Oral progestin and progestin-releasing intrauterine devices (IUDs) have been shown to result in regression of endometrial hyperplasia and grade 1 endometrioid endometrial carcinoma. However, limited data are available on the use of these methods in women with grade 2 disease.

Case: An 18-year-old nulliparous woman was diagnosed with a grade 2 endometrial adenocarcinoma. She desired future fertility and therefore underwent placement of a levonorgestrel-releasing IUD. The patient subsequently underwent endometrial sampling every 3 months and remained disease-free 13 months after initial IUD placement.

Conclusion: A progestin-releasing IUD may be a valid treatment option for grade 2 endometrial cancer in young women who desire to retain fertility.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Financial Disclosure: The authors did not report any potential conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Endometrial biopsies obtained before treatment (A) and 3 (B), 6 (C), 11 (D), and 13 (E) months post-treatment. All photomicrographs are hematoxylin and eosin (H&E), 20X magnification. The initial biopsy (A) demonstrated an endometrial endometrioid adenocarcinoma, FIGO grade 2. Subsequent endometrial biopsies (B-E) obtained after treatment yielded benign endometrium with stromal cell pseudo-decidualization and inactive endometrial glands, microscopic changes that are characteristically associated with exposure to progestins.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

References

    1. Duska LR, Garrett A, Rueda BR, Haas J, Chang Y, Fuller AF. Endometrial cancer in women 40 years old or younger. Gynecol Oncol. 2001;83:388–93. - PubMed
    1. Gallup DG, Stock RJ. Adenocarcinoma of the endometrium in women 40 years of age or younger. Obstet Gynecol. 1984;64:417–20. - PubMed
    1. Ota T, Yoshida M, Kimura M, Kinoshita K. Clinicopathologic study of uterine endometrial carcinoma in young women aged 40 years and younger. Int J Gynecol Cancer. 2005;15:657–62. - PubMed
    1. Jadoul P, Donnez J. Conservative treatment may be beneficial for young women with atypical endometrial hyperplasia or endometrial adenocarcinoma. Fertil Steril. 2003;80:1315–24. - PubMed
    1. Chiva L, Lapuente F, Gonzalez-Cortijo L, Carballo N, Garcia JF, Rojo A, Gonzalez-Martin A. Sparing fertility in young patients with endometrial cancer. Gynecol Oncol. 2008;111:S101–4. - PubMed

Publication types

MeSH terms

Substances