Application of NGS molecular classification in the diagnosis of endometrial carcinoma: A supplement to traditional pathological diagnosis

Abstract

Abstract Objective This study aims to demonstrate the advantages of NGS molecular classification in EC diagnosis and to assess whether molecular classification could be performed on curettage specimens and its concordance with subsequent hysterectomy specimens. Methods 80 patients with hysterectomy specimens and 35/80 patients with paired curettage specimens were stratified as POLE mut, MSI‐H, TP53 wt, or TP53 abn group by NGS panel. Histotype, tumor grade, IHC results, and other pathological details were taken from original pathological reports. Results The correlation analysis of 80 patients with hysterectomy specimens between NGS molecular classification and clinicopathological characters displayed that the POLE mut group was associated with EEC (87.5%) and TP53 abn subtype was correlated to a later stage (Stage II–IV, 47.6%), G3 (76.2%), serous histology (61.9%) and myometrial invasion ≥50% (47.6%). A favorable concordance (31/32, 96.9%) was shown in MSI analysis and MMR IHC results, and the agreement rate of p53 IHC and TP53 mutation was 81.5% (53/65). Compared with the p53 IHC abnormal group, the TP53 mutation group had a higher correlation with high‐risk factors. A high level of concordance (31/35, 88.0%) of NGS molecular classification was achieved between curettage specimens and hysterectomy specimens while grade and histotype (including unclassified group) from curettage specimens and hysterectomy specimens showed only moderate levels of agreement, 54.3% (19/35) and 68.6% (24/35), respectively. Conclusion NGS molecular classification achieved on curettage samples showed high concordance with the final hysterectomy specimens, demonstrating superior to the conventional pathological assessment of grade and histotype and potential utilization in clinical practice.

Keywords

• curettage
• endometrial cancer
• hysterectomy
• molecular classification
• NGS