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Diagnostic Pathology
Published in: Diagnostic Pathology 1/2019

Open Access 01-12-2019 | Review

Uterine lesions with sex cord-like architectures: a systematic review

Authors: Meng Jia, Ping-Li Sun, Hongwen Gao

Published in: Diagnostic Pathology | Issue 1/2019

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Abstract

Background

Sex cord-like elements are rarely observed in uterine lesions, but these morphological patterns could appear in a variety of uterine tumors and non-tumorous lesions. In this review, we collected the literatures regarding the uterine tumorous and non-tumorous lesions containing sex cord-like elements and summarized these lesions in terms of clinicopathological, immunohistochemical, and molecular features in order to further understand these lesions and provide some new ideas for differential diagnosis.

Main body

This section provides a comprehensive overview of the clinicopathological, immunohistochemical, and molecular features of uterine lesions with sex cord-like architectures including uterine tumors resembling ovarian sex cord tumors, endometrial stromal tumors, adenomyosis, endometrial polyps, leiomyoma, epithelioid leiomyosarcoma, adenosarcoma, sertoliform endometrioid carcinoma, corded and hyalinized endometrioid carcinoma, mesonephric adenocarcinoma, and mesonephric-like adenocarcinoma. The differential diagnosis based on morphology, immunohistochemistry, and molecular alterations has also been discussed.

Conclusion

The sex cord-like areas in these lesions show heterogeneous but similar morphological features. Additionally, immunohistochemical staining plays a limited role in differential diagnosis. Furthermore, it is of significance for pathologists to better understand these lesions in order to avoid confusion and mistakes during pathological diagnosis, especially in a biopsy/curettage specimen.
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Metadata
Title
Uterine lesions with sex cord-like architectures: a systematic review
Authors
Meng Jia
Ping-Li Sun
Hongwen Gao
Publication date
01-12-2019
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Diagnostic Pathology / Issue 1/2019
Electronic ISSN: 1746-1596
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13000-019-0909-y

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