RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to evaluate the clinical characteristics, histopathology and prognosis of endometrial cancer under 40 years of age. METHODS: This retrospective study was based on medical records including pathologic reports of 6 women under the age of 40 with histologically proven endometrial cancer at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Gyeongsang National University Hospital from Jan. 1991 to Dec. 2002. The survival of patients was determined by description of last follow up date in medical records. If more than 3 months passed from last follow up date, we used phone call to identify the status of patients. RESULTS: The mean age of 6 cases with young endometrial cancer was 36.5 years. The most common symptom was abnormal vaginal bleeding (50%). The parity of the patients was nulliparity in 2 cases (33.3%), primiparity in 2 cases (33.3%) and multiparity in 2 cases (33.3%). The body weight over 61 kg was in 4 cases (66.7%) and obesity was in 3 cases (50%). The risk factors and associated diseases were amenorrhea or irregular menstruation in 2 cases (33.3%), hypertension in 1 case (16.7%) and Cushing syndrome in 1 case (16.7%). Histopathologic subtypes was adenocarcinoma in 3 cases (50%), adenoacanthoma in 1 case (16.7%), papillary adenocarcinoma in 1 case (16.7%) and stromal sarcoma in 1 case (16.7%). The stages of the patients were classified as stage I in 5 cases (83.3%) and stage II in 1 case (16.7%). The grades were classified into grade 1 in 4 cases (66.7%), grade 2 in 1 case ( 16.7%) and grade 3 in 1 case (16.7%). All of the patients were treated by primary surgery, 2 cases were treated by surgery with radiation therapy, 1 case with hormonal therapy, 1 case with chemotherapy. All except one case (gade 3 with <1/2 myometrial invasion) were survived. CONCLUSION: It is concluded that endometrial cancer has a favorable prognosis in the young women than in the older patients because it diagnosed at early stage with lower grade.