Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Articol Patfiz Adenomioza PDF
Articol Patfiz Adenomioza PDF
Articol Patfiz Adenomioza PDF
Pathophysiology of adenomyosis
Alex Ferenczy
Department of Pathology, The Sir Mortimer B.Davis Jewish General Hospital, 3755 Côte Ste-Catherine Road, Montreal,
Quebec, Canada H3T 1E2
Figure 1. Endomyometrial junction featuring basalis endometrium Figure 2. Deeply located endometrial glands and stroma surrounded
invaginating into superficial myometrium. There is no evidence of by hypertrophic myometrium. This is a focus of adenomyosis.
hypertrophy of the surrounding myometrium. Such findings should Original magnification ×100.
not be considered as adenomyosis. Original magnification ×100.
(Gaetje et al., 1995). Such invasive potential may facilitate (Tamaya et al., 1979), whereas others found higher proges-
extension of the basalis endometrium into the myome- terone than oestrogen receptor concentrations (van der
trium. In MCF-7 breast cancer cells, production of tenascin Walt et al., 1986). Using immunohistochemical tracing
is stimulated by the hormonally regulated epidermal techniques the author found relatively high concentrations
growth factors (EGF) (Chiquet-Ehrismann et al., 1989). of both oestrogen and progesterone receptors in both the
The fact that endometrial stromal fibroblasts produce ten- basalis and adenomyotic endometrium (unpublished ob-
ascin, a fibronectin inhibitor which in turn facilitates epi- servations) (Table I). Oestrogen receptors are prerequisites
thelial migration suggests a complex physico-chemical for oestrogen-mediated endometrial growth. Although
interrelationship during the process of endometrial there is no clear-cut evidence of impaired hormonal envi-
ugrowth processes. Tenascin has been immunolocalized ronment in most women with adenomyosis, hyperoes-
around proliferative phase endometrial glands but not in trogenaemia may play a role in the invagination process
post-ovulatory phase endometrial glands (Vollmer et al., since high frequency of endometrial hyperplasia is found in
1990). It is possible that tenascin mediates epithelial–me- women with adenomyosis. According to some researchers,
senchymal interactions by inhibiting cell attachment to fi- a relatively high oestrogen concentration is necessary for
bronectin in adenomyotic type endometrium as it does in
the development and maintenance of adenomyosis as well
its endometrial counterpart.
as endometriosis (Yamamoto et al., 1993). Supporting this
A recent study using in-situ hybridization and immuno-
contention is the clinical observation that suppression of
histochemistry demonstrated that endometrial glands in
oestrogenic environment by danazol induces involution of
adenomyosis selectively express more human chorionic
the ectopic endometrium as well as the associated symp-
gonadotrophin (HCG)/luteinizing hormone (LH) receptor
toms such as menorrhagia and dysmenorrhoea (Yamamoto
mRNA and immunoreactive receptor protein than the non-
invaginating glandular epithelium (Lei et al., 1993). In et al., 1993). Akin to uterine leiomyomata, oestrogen is
normal endometrium, the glands fail to demonstrate geo- synthesized and secreted in adenomyotic tissues (Yama-
graphic variation (as a function of their depth) in HCG/LH moto et al., 1993). These investigators demonstrated both
receptor expression. It is thus possible although not proven aromatase and oestrogen sulphatase activities by steroido-
that the increased receptor expression of invaginating en- biochemical analysis in the supernatant faction of myome-
dometrial epithelium may be related to the potential to trium containing foci of adenomyosis. Oestrogen
invaginate into the myometrium and form adenomyotic sulphatase and particularly aromatase activity was higher
foci. It is of interest that increased HCG/LH receptor ex- (1 mg protein of tissue) than that observed in the normal
pression was found in endometrial carcinomas compared adjacent myometrium and leiomyomata and overlying en-
to normal endometrial glands (Lei et al., 1992) as well as in dometrium (P < 0.01–0.001). Moreover, endometrial
invasive versus non-invasive trophoblasts in choriocarci- enzymatic activity was suppressed in vitro by up to 50%
nomas (Lin et al., 1994). after addition of 106 M danazol (Yamamoto et al., 1993).
Earlier steroid receptor studies using cytosol prepara- Aromatase was also demonstrated by immunohistoche-
tions yielded inconsistent results; some found no proges- mistry in the cytoplasmic substance of gland lining cells
terone receptors in 40% of the adenomyotic cases studied but not stromal cells in foci of adenomyosis in human uteri.
Table I. Immunohistochemical characteristics of uterine adenomyosis, endometriosis, basalis endometrium and leiomyoma
Antibodies Adenomyosis
Diffuse Focal Endometriosis Basalis Leiomyoma
(adenomyoma) endometrium
G S M G S M SE S G S
AE1/AE3 4+ – 1+ 2+ 2+ 1+ 4+ – 4+ – 1+
Vimentin 1+ 1+ – 1+ 1+ – 1+ 2+ 1+ 1+ –
ER 4+ 4+ 4+ 2+ 2+ 1+ 4+ 4+ 4+ 4+ 2+
PR 3+ 4+ 4+ 3+ 3+ 3+ 4+ 4+ 1 to 3+ 1 to 3+ 4+
(focal) (focal) (focal) (focal) (focal)
Actin – – 3+ – – 3+ – – – – 4+
Desmin – – 3+ – – 3+ – – – – 4+
AE1/AE3 = low and high molecular weight cytokeratin; ER/PR = oestrogen/progesterone receptor; G = glandular epithelium; S =
stromal cells; M = myometrium surrounding ectopic endometrium; SE = surface epithelium.
Uterine and extra uterine adenomyosis 315
Oestrogen production by adenomyotic tissue is also sup- eration marker studies (Tabibzadeh et al., 1993). Con-
ported by finding more women with high oestradiol con- versely, endometrial proliferation is at its maximum near
centration (≥30 pg/ml) in the menstrual blood in those with the endometrial surface far away from basalis-containing
adenomyosis than in those without adenomyosis and nor- lymphoid aggregates (Ferenczy et al., 1979; Tabibzadeh et
mal ovulatory cycles (Takahashi et al., 1989). The secre- al., 1993). It is plausible, although not proven, that adeno-
tory response of adenomyotic tissue to hormonal myotic uteri are poor in activated T cells, thus the basalis
stimulation is consistent with effective progestogenic in- endometrium may have growth advantage over non-ade-
fluence on the ectopic endometrium. Progestogens en- nomyotic, lymphoid-rich basalis endometria. Whether
hance aromatase activity both in eutopic and adenomyotic such anomaly is necessarily associated with acquired
tissues (Urabe et al., 1989) contributing thereby to myometrial weakness or whether it is an independent pre-
oestrogen biosynthesis in adenomyotic foci. requisite for the development of adenomyosis remains to
It may be that bioavailability of sex steroids is not suffi- be determined.
cient alone to produce adenomyosis. It is possible that the The precise reason for myometrial hyperplasia/hyper-
myometrium in cases of adenomyosis is either predisposed trophy located around deep foci of endometrium is not
to be invaded by the basalis endometrium, and that ‘benign known but may indicate either an attempt at controlling
invasion’ of the endometrium occurs secondary to ‘weak- endometrial invagination of the myometrium or may sim-
ness’ of the myometrium, or that myometrial weakness is ply represent smooth muscle bundles pushed aside by the
caused by trauma, such as curettage, myomectomy and ingrowing endometrium. By immunohistochemistry, the
Caesarean section. In this regard, adenomyosis can be pro- myometrium surrounding the ectopic endometrium,
duced in pregnant rabbits by curetting one horn and tube, whether diffuse (adenomyosis) or focal (adenomyoma),
while retaining pregnancy in the opposite horn (Lewinski, contains no abnormalities. Indeed, smooth muscle cells in
1931). It is possible, although not proven, that myometrial adenomyotic foci, normal myometrium and leiomyomata
invasion by the endometrial basalis is enhanced by in- (coexistent or not with adenomyosis) are all rich in actin
creased intrauterine pressure which, according to Cullen and desmin (Table I).
(1908), could be produced by elevated concentrations of There are several animal models for the study of pa-
circulating progesterone. thogenesis of adenomyosis. In one, intrauterine isografts of
Increased expression of the major histocompatibility anterior pituitary mice lead to the development of adeno-
complex class II antigen (HLA-DR) in the gland cells of myosis (Jeffcoate and Potter, 1934). Prolactin may amplify
normal (eutopic) and ectopic endometrium (18 patients) this event, for the isograft-free horn contained compara-
and adenomyosis (50 patients) was observed by immuno- tively less developed adenomyosis. Whereas ovariectomy
histochemistry (Ota and Igarashi, 1993). In addition, ma- prevented, oestradiol benzoate stimulated, the develop-
crophages in the myometrium of adenomyosis appear to be ment of adenomyosis in this animal model. In another
increased; these may activate helper T cells and B cells to model, mice treated prenatally with high doses of diethyls-
produce antibodies. Autoantibodies against phospholipids tilboestrol (DES) developed adenomyosis. It appears that
in endometriosis and adenomyosis as well as marked de- certain strains of mice are prone to develop adenomyosis in
position of immunoglobulin (Ig)S or complement compo- response to high concentrations of prolactin, oestrogens
nents have been observed (Weed and Arquembourg, 1980; and progestogens. More recently, Ficicioglu et al. (1995)
Kreiner et al., 1986). The precise significance of these induced adenomyosis in non-castrated rats with hyperpro-
aberrant immune phenomena in adenomyosis or endome- lactinaemia. The authors suggested that high prolactin con-
triosis is not understood at present. centrations cause myometrial degeneration in the presence
Experiments in vitro showed that activated CD3+ T cells of ovarian steroids which may result in myometrial weak-
in the endometrium and their secretory product ness and subsequent myometrial invasion by the endome-
interferon-γ induce expression of HLA-DR immunoreac- trial basalis. Of interest were the observations of Mori and
tivity in endometrial gland cells and inhibition of their Nagasawa (1983) in mice in which myometrial invasion by
proliferation (Tabibzadeh et al., 1993). The closer the en- stromal fibroblasts along the branches of blood vessels
dometrial cells are to activated T cells, the greater is their preceded invagination of endometrial glands. In another
growth-inhibition. It appears that lymphoid follicle-like study, Sakamoto et al. (1992) induced a high rate of uterine
structures, mostly located in the endomyometrial junction, adenomyosis in mice by ectopic pituitary isografts. DNA-
are rich in activated T helper cells. Their location coincides synthesizing activities and related enzymes, i.e. thymidi-
with maximal inhibition of endometrial growth observed late synthetase and thymidine kinase, were markedly
both morphologically (Ferenczy et al., 1979) and by prolif- increased in adenomyosis compared to control uteri.
316 A.Ferenczy
may be due to poor contractibility of the adenomyotic specimens] it is not a major cause of obstetric or surgical
uterus and compression of the endometrium by submucous complications. A review of 80 years of literature yielded
adenomyomata or leiomyomata. Mefenamic acid adminis- only 29 reports of complications, mainly uterine rupture
tration can reduce blood loss suggesting that prostaglan- and perforation associated with adenomyosis (Azziz,
dins (F2α) may also play a role in the greater degree of 1986).
blood loss in women with adenomyosis (Azziz, 1989).
Other factors may be anovulation, hyperplasia and rarely Table II. Associated pathology and adenomyosis
adenocarcinoma. Dysmenorrhoea is due to uterine irrita-
Disease %
bility which in turn is secondary to increased amounts of
Leiomyoma 35–55
blood loss. Not all investigators have demonstrated adeno-
Pelvic endometriosis 6–20
myosis-related symptoms. For example, in one study of
136 patients with histologically verified adenomyosis, Salpingitis isthmica nodosa 1.4–19.8
symptoms were variable, non-specific and according to the Endometrial polyps 2.3
investigators were related to the associated pathologies Endometrial hyperplasia 7.0
such as leiomyomata, endometriosis, polyps, etc. rather (types not specified)
than adenomyosis (Nikkanen and Punnonen, 1980). In Endometrial hyperplasia with atypia 3.5
another study carried out prospectively, there were no dif- Adenocarcinoma 1.4
ferences in either the frequency or severity of dysmenorr-
hoea and pelvic pain between 28 women with adenomyosis
and 157 ‘controls’ (Kilkku et al., 1984). A study of 23
women with uterine adenomyosis found no qualitative dif- Diagnosis
ferences in the spontaneous mobility of isolated myome-
The clinical diagnosis of adenomyosis is only suggestive at
trial tissue throughout the menstrual cycle from normal
best (50%) (Hayata and Kawashima, 1987) and most often
regenerative and leiomyomatous uteri (Martinez-Mir et
is either not made (75%) (Owalabi and Strickler, 1977;
al., 1990). The mobility pattern was of low amplitude and
Azziz, 1989) or overdiagnosed (35%) (Lee et al., 1984).
high frequency of spontaneous contractions during the pro-
Menorrhagia and dysmenorrhoea in a multiparous woman
liferative phase; both changes were amplified in the secre-
in her late 40s/early 50s are suggestive but not diagnostic of
tory phase. Histamine-produced myometrial contractions
adenomyosis. The uterus may be diffusely enlarged (12
were similar in all myometrial tissues investigated
weeks of gestational size), soft and tender on palpation.
(Martinez-Mir et al., 1990)
Hysterosalpingography for diagnosing adenomyosis is
not recommended because it misses 75% of the cases
Associated pathology (Marshak and Eliasoph, 1955) and is expensive. Similarly,
ultrasonography is of questionable diagnostic value. Ex-
Up to 80% of adenomyotic uteri contain associated perience with endovaginal ultrasonography seems to indi-
pathology. The most frequent one is leiomyomata (Azziz, cate a better diagnostic accuracy than grey-scale
1989). Endometrial polyps (2.3%), hyperplasia without and ultrasound with a sensitivity of 87%, a specificity of 98%, a
with atypia as well as adenocarcinoma appear more frequent positive predictive value of 74% and a negative predictive
in patients with adenomyosis than in the general population value of 99% (Fedele et al., 1992). Adenomyosis in tamox-
(Table II). In one study, 60% of uteri with endometrial ifen-treated women appears as irregularly distributed
carcinoma contained coexistent adenomyosis compared to microcysts beneath the endometrium and in the myome-
39% in control uteri (Marcus, 1961). However, the presence trium masquerading as increased endometrial thickness on
of adenomyosis has no adverse (negative) influence on the transvaginal ultrasonography (Goldstein, 1994; Perrot
prognosis of endometrial carcinoma (Marcus, 1961; Hall et et al., 1994) and leads to undue anxiety and unnecessary
al., 1984). Pelvic endometriosis is observed only in 6–20% endometrial biopsies. The best radiological means so far is
of women with adenomyosis and in all likelihood the former magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) although experience is
is unrelated to the latter. limited. Low signal intensity myometrium surrounds nor-
mal, high-signal intensity endometrium. In other cases,
irregular cystic spaces in the myometrium give a honey-
Adenomyosis and pregnancy
comb-type appearance of adenomyosis. Blood CA125 de-
Although adenomyosis occurs relatively frequently in terminations have provided inconsistent results so far
pregnancy [27 of 151 (17%) of Caesarean hysterectomy (Takahashi et al., 1985; Halila et al., 1987) have little, if
318 A.Ferenczy
Figure 3. Diffuse adenomyosis of anterior wall of uterus. Note coarsely Figure 4. Adenomyoma (focal adenomyosis) made of cystically di-
trabeculated, diffusely hypertrophied myometrium stippled with foci of lated endometrial glands and hypertrophied smooth muscle. Typical
ectopic endometrium. Original magnification ×4. of adenomyoma, its margin is indistinct from the surrounding nor-
mal myometrium. Original magnification ×40.
any, diagnostic value. More recently, myometrial biopsies cosa. When the whole myometrium or one of the myome-
of the posterior uterine wall were performed using biopsy trial walls is diffusely involved, the uterus is enlarged and
needle (Bohlman et al., 1987) or resectoscope (McCaus- globular. On cross-section, the haphazardly distributed
land, 1992). The upper third posterior myometrial wall hypertrophied muscular trabeculae surrounding foci of
biopsy without important bleeding revealed adenomyosis adenomyosis are apparent (Figure 3). The latter may on
in five of 45 women (11%) aged 40 years or younger who occasion contain brown-staining ‘old blood’ correspon-
were undergoing laparoscopy or laparotomy for miscel- ding to hemolysed blood and haemosiderin pigment de-
laneous reasons (Pasquinucci et al., 1991). Alternatively, posits (Azziz, 1989). The focally involved uterus with
hysteroscopy-aided biopsy of the posterior uterine wall adenomyosis resembles a leiomyoma; the term adenomyo-
with a 5 mm loop electrode in 50 women with normal ma is applied to this rather frequent presentation of adeno-
uterine cavity demonstrated adenomyosis in 66% of the myosis (Figure 4). Since the process is not neoplastic, the
cases (McCausland, 1992). Others found very low sensi- term focal adenomyosis is preferred by Hendrickson and
tivity of myometrial needle biopsy performed in 68 surgi- Kempson (1980). Since adenomyoma is often confused
cally removed uteri. The rates ranged between 8 and clinically with leiomyoma, a benign but neoplastic condi-
18.7%; however, specificity was 100% (Popp et al., 1993). tion, we believe that the use of the term adenomyoma is
In two studies, MRI predicted adenomyosis in eight of acceptable. Typically, adenomyoma has poorly defined
eight patients (Mark et al., 1987) and in eight of 16 patients margins because they merge with the surrounding normal
(Marshak and Eliasoph, 1955) whose disease was con- myometrium (Figure 5). In contrast, leiomyomata com-
firmed by histology. The principal diagnostic means for press the surrounding myometrium and have clear-cut,
adenomyosis is histology of hysterectomy specimens. well-circumscribed margins (Figures 6 and 7). The latter
can be enucleated, whereas the former cannot.
Over the years, the author accumulated experience with
Pathology
a relatively large number of cases of adenomyosis (n = 50),
The characteristic gross appearance of adenomyosis is due endometriosis (n = 50) (unpublished data) and normal en-
to myometrial hypertrophy surrounding endometrial mu- dometrium (n = 200) (Bergeron et al., 1988a,b; Ferenczy
Uterine and extra uterine adenomyosis 319
Figure 6. Leiomyomata uteri with well-circumscribed margins contrast Figure 7. Histology of sharply defined margin of ordinary leiomyo-
with adenomyoma shown in Figure 5. Original magnification ×4. ma. Original magnification ×100.
320 A.Ferenczy
Treatment
References Hall, J.B., Young, R.H. and Nelson, J.H. Jr (1984) The prognostic
significance of adenomyosis in endometrial carcinoma. Gynecol.
Oncol., 17, 32–40.
Azziz, R. (1986) Adenomyosis in pregnancy. A review. J. Reprod. Med., Harris, W.J., Daniell, J.F. and Baxter, J.W. (1985) Prior cesarean section: a
31, 224–227. risk factor for adenomyosis? J. Reprod. Med., 30, 173–175.
Azziz, R. (1989) Adenomyosis: current perspectives. Obstet. Gynecol. Hayata, T. and Kawashima, Y. (1987) Clinicopathologic study of eight
Clin. North Am., 16, 221–235. cases of uterine body cancers associated with endometriosis interna
Benson, R.C. and Sneeden, V.D. (1958) Adenomyosis: a reappraisal of (uterine adenomyosis). Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol., 156, 663–666.
symptomatology. Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol., 76, 1044–1061. Hendrickson, M.R. and Kempson, R.L. (1980) Non-neoplastic conditions
Bergeron, C., Ferenczy, A., Toft, D.O. et al. (1988a) Immunocytochemical of the myometrium and uterine serosa. Surgical Pathology of the
study of progesterone receptors in hyperplastic and neoplastic Uterine Corpus. W.B.Saunders, Philadelphia, pp. 452–467.
endometrial tissues. Cancer Res., 48, 6132–6136. Israel, S.L. and Woutersz, T.B. (1959) Adenomyosis: a neglected
Bergeron, C., Ferenczy, A., Toft, D.O. et al. (1988b) Immunocytochemical diagnosis. Obstet. Gynecol., 14, 168–173.
study of progesterone receptors in the human endometrium during the Jeffcoate, T.N.A. and Potter, A.L. (1934) Endometriosis as a
menstrual cycle. Lab. Invest., 59, 862–869. manifestationof ovarian dysfunction. J. Obstet. Gynecol. Br. Cmwlth,
Bird, C.C., McElin, T.W. and Manalo-Estrella, P. (1972) The elusive 41, 684–707.
adenomyosis of the uterus. Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol., 112, 583–593. Kida, H. (1994) Histological analysis of spontaneous adenomyosis-like
Bohlman, M.E., Ensor, R.E. and Sanders, R.C. (1987) Sonographic changes in recombinant inbred mouse uterus (SMXZ mouse) – a novel
findings in adenomyosis of the uterus. Am. J. Roentgenol., 148, animal model for adenomyosis. Acta Obstet. Gynecol. Jpn, 46,
765–766. 323–330.
Chiquet-Ehrismann, R., Kalla, P. and Pearson, C.A. (1989) Participation of Kilkku, P., Erkolla, R. and Gronroos, M. (1984) Nonspecificity of
tenascin and TGF-beta in reciprocal epithelial-mesenchymal
symptoms related to adenomyosis: A prospective comparative survey.
interactions of MCF7 cells and fibroblasts. Cancer Res., 49,
Acta Obstet. Gynecol. Scand., 62, 229–231.
4322–4325.
Kreiner, D., Fromowitz, F.B., Richardson, D.A. et al. (1986) Endometrial
Cohen, I. Beyth, Y., Tepper, R. et al. (1995) Adenomyosis in
postmenopausal breast cancer patients treated with tamoxifen: a new immunofluorescence associated with endometriosis and pelvic
entity? Gynecol. Oncol., 58, 86–91. inflammatory disease. Fertil. Steril., 46, 243–246.
Colman, H.I. and Rosenthal, A.H. (1959) Carcinoma developing in areas Lee, N.C., Dicker, R.C., Rubin, G.L. et al. (1984) Confirmation of the
of adenomyosis. Obstet. Gynecol., 14, 341–348. preoperative diagnoses for hysterectomy. Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol.,
Cullen, T.S. (1908) Adenomyoma of the Uterus. W.B.Saunders, 150, 283–287.
Philadelphia. Lei, Z.M., Reshef, E. and Rao C.V. (1992) The expression of human
Emge, L.A. (1956) Problems in the diagnosis of adenomyosis uteri. West J. chorionic gonadotropin/luteinizing hormone receptors in human
Surg., 64, 291–305. endometrial and myometrial blood vessels. J. Clin. Endocrinol.
Emge, L.A. (1962) The elusive adenomyosis of the uterus. Am. J. Obstet. Metab., 75, 651–659.
Gynecol., 83, 1541–1563. Lin, J., Lei, Z.M., Lojun, S. et al. (1994) Increased expression of
Fedele, L., Bianchi, S. Dorta, M. et al. (1992) Transvaginal luteinizing hormone/human chorionic gonadotrophin receptor gene in
ultrasonography in the differential diagnosis of adenomyoma versus human endometrial carcinomas. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab, 79,
leiomyoma. Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol., 167, 603–606. 1483–1491.
Ferenczy, A. (1980) Regeneration of the human endometrium. In Fenoglio, Lei, M., Rao, C.V., Lincoln, S.R. et al. (1993) Increased expression of
C.M. and Wolff, M. (eds), Progress in Surgical Pathology. Masson, human chorionic gonadotropin/human leuteinizing hormone
New York, Vol. 1, pp. 157–173. receptors in adenomyosis. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., 76, 763–768.
Ferenczy, A. (1994) Anatomy and histology of the uterine corpus. In Lewinski, H. (1931) Beitrag zur frage der adenomyosis. Zentralbl.
Kurman, R.J. (ed.), Blaustein’s Pathology of the Female Genital Tract. Gynaekol., 55, 2163–2167.
Springer-Verlag, New York, pp. 229–277. Marcus, C.C. (1961) Relationship of adenomyosis uteri to endometrial
Ferenczy, A. and Bergeron, C. (1991) Histology of the human hyperplasia and endometrial carcinoma. Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol., 82,
endometrium: from birth to senescence. In Bulletti, C. and Gurpide E. 408–416.
(eds), The Primate Endometrium. Ann. NY Acad. Sci., 622, 6–27. Mark, A.S., Hricak, H., Heinrichs, L.W. et al. (1987) Adenomyosis and
Ferenczy, A., Bertrand, G. and Gelfand, M.M. (1979) Proliferation kinetics leiomyoma: differential diagnosis with MR imaging. Radiology, 163,
of human endometrium during the normal menstrual cycle. Am. J. 527–529.
Obstet. Gynecol., 133, 859–867. Marshak, R.H. and Eliasoph, J. (1955) The roentgen findings in
Ficicioglu, C., Tekin, H.I., Arioglu, P.F. et al. (1995) A murine model of adenomyosis. Radiology, 64, 846–851.
adenomyosis: the effects of hyperprolactinemia induced by fluoxetine Mathur, B.B.I., Shah, R.S. and Bhende, Y.M. (1962) Adenomyosis uteri: a
hydrochloride, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, on
pathologic study of 290 cases. Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol., 84,
adenomyosis induction in Wistar albino rats. Acta Eur. Fertil., 26,
1820–1829.
75–79.
Martinez-Mir, I., Estañ, L., Morales-Olivas, F.J. et al. (1990) Studies of the
Frankl, O. (1925) Adenomyosis uteri. Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol., 10,
spontaneous motility and the effect of histamine on isolated
680–684.
Gaetje, R., Kotzian, S., Hermann, G. et al. (1995) Invasiveness of myometrial strips of the nonpregnant human uterus: the influence of
endometriotic cells in vitro. Lancet, 346, 1463–1464. various uterine abnormalities. Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol., 163, 189–195.
Goldstein, S.R. (1994) Unusual ultrasonographic appearance of the uterus McCausland, A.M. (1992) Hysteroscopic myometrial biopsy: its use in
in patients receiving tamoxifen. Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol., 170, diagnosing adenomyosis and its clinical application. Am. J. Obstet.
447–451. Gynecol., 166, 1619–1626.
Grow, D.R. and Filer, R.B. (1991) Treatment of adenomyosis with Molitor, J.J. (1971) Adenomyosis: A clinical and pathologic appraisal. Am.
long-term GnRH analogues: a case report. Obstet. Gynecol., 78, J. Obstet. Gynecol., 110, 275–284.
538–539. Mori, T. and Nagasawa, H. (1983) Mechanisms of development of
Haber, G. and Ferenczy, A. (1993) Electrosurgical solutions to prolactin-induced adenomyosis in mice. Acta Anat., 116, 46–54.
gynecological problems. Contemp. Obstet. Gynecol. (Canada), Mori, S., Fujii, M. and Kudo, R. (1996) Expression of the small molecular
November/December, 25–36. weight matrix metalloproteinase in ademyosis of the mouse uterus.
Halila, H., Suikkari, A.M. and Seppala, M. (1987) The effects of Acta Obstet. Gynecol. Jpn., 48, 386–392.
hysterectomy on serum CA-125 levels in patients with adenomyosis Nikkanen, V. and Punnonen, R. (1980) Clinical significance of
and uterine fibroids. Hum. Reprod., 2, 265–266. adenomyosis. Ann. Chir. Gynaecol., 69, 278–280.
322 A.Ferenczy
Nishida, M. (1991) Relationship between the onset of dysmenorrhea and tumor marker of ovarian carcinoma. Acta Obstet. Gynaecol. Jpn., 37,
hsitologic findings in adenomyosis. Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol., 165, 591–595.
229–231. Takahashi, K., Nagata, H. and Kitao, M. (1989) Clinical usefulness of
Nisolle, M. and Donnez, J. (1997) Peritoneal endometriosis, ovarian determination of estradiol level in the menstrual blood for patients
endometriosis, and adenomyotic nodules of the rectovaginal septum with endometriosis. Acta Obstet. Gynaecol. Jpn., 41, 1849–1850.
are three different entities. Fertil. Steril., 68, 585–596. Tamaya, T., Motoyama, T., Ohono, Y. et al. (1979) Steroid receptor levels
Ota, H. and Igarashi, S. (1993) Expression of major histocompatibility and histology of endometriosis and adenomyosis. Fertil. Steril., 31,
complex class II antigen in endometriotic tissue in patients with 396–400.
endometriosis and adenomyosis. Fertil. Steril., 60, 834–838. Ugwumadu, A.H.N., Bower, D. and Ho, P.K. (1993) Tamoxifen induced
Owolabi, T.O. and Strickler, R.C. (1977) Adenomyosis: a neglected adenomyosis and adenomyomatous endometrial polyp. Br. J. Obstet.
diagnosis. Obstet. Gynecol., 50, 424–427. Gynaecol., 100, 386–388.
Pasquinucci, C., Pittino, R. Carcione, R. et al. (1991) Contributo allo Urabe, M., Yamaamoto, T., Kitawaki, J. et al. (1989) Estrogen biosynthesis
studio dell’adenomiosi: le biopsie transmiometriali. Ann. Ost. Gin. in human uterine adenomyosis. Acta Endocrinol. (Copenh.), 121,
Med. Perin., 112, 91–94. 259–264.
Perrot, N., Guyot, B., Antoine, M. et al. (1994) The effects of tamoxifen on van der Walt, L.A., Sanfilippo, J.S., Siegel, J.E. et al. (1986) Estrogen and
the endometrium. Ultrasound Obstet. Gynecol., 4, 83–84. progestin receptors in human uterus: reference ranges of clinical
Popp, L.W., Schwiedessen, J.P. and Gaetje, R. (1993) Myometrial biopsy conditions. Clin. Physiol. Biochem., 4, 217–228.
in the diagnosis of adenomyosis uteri. Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol., 169, Vollmer, G., Siegal, G.P., Chiquet-Ehrismann, R. et al. (1990) Tenascin
546–549. expression in the human endometrium and in endometrial
Ridley, J.H. (1968) The histogenesis of endometriosis. A review of facts adenocarcinomas. Lab. Invest., 62, 725–730.
and fancies. Obstet. Gynecol. Surv., 23, 1–35. Von Recklinghausen, F. (1896) Die Adenomyomata und Cystadenomata
Rokitansky, K. (1860) Ueber uterusdruesen-neubildung. Z. Gesellschaft der Uterus und Tubenwandung: Ihre Abkunft von Resten des
Aerzte Wien, 16, 577–581. Wolff ’schen Koerpers. August Hirschwald Verlag, Berlin.
Sakamoto, S., Mori, T., Singtripop, T. et al. (1992) Increase of DNA Weed, J.C. and Arquembourg, P.C. (1980) Endometriosis: can it produce
synthesis in uterine adenomyosis in mice with ectopic pituitary an autoimmune response resulting in infertility? Clin. Obstet.
isograft. Acta Anat., 145, 162–166. Gynecol., 23, 885–893.
Winkelman, J. and Robinson, R. (1966) Adenocarcinoma of endometrium
Sandberg, E.C. and Cohn, F. (1962) Adenomyosis in the gravid uterus at
involving adenomyosis. Cancer, 19, 901–908.
term. Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol., 84, 1457–1465.
Yamamoto, T., Noguchi, T., Tamura, T. et al. (1993) Evidence for estrogen
Tabibzadeh, S., Sun, X.Z., Kong, Q.F. et al. (1993) Induction of a polarized
synthesis in adenomyotic tissue. Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol., 169,
micro-environment by human T cells and interferon-gamma in
734–738.
three-dimensional spheroid cultures of human endometrial epithelial
cells. Hum. Reprod., 8, 182–192.
Takahashi, K., Kijima, S., Yoshino, K. et al. (1985) Differential diagnosis
between leiomyomata uteri and adenomyosis using CA-125 as a new Received on January 27, 1998; accepted on June 30, 1998