Purpose: To evaluate the expression of c-kit (CD117) in endometrial hyperplasia and endometrial cancer.
Methods: Expression of c-kit in 10 normal endometrium, 18 simple endometrial hyperplasia, 16 complex endometrial hyperplasia (10 cases with atypia and 6 cases without atypia), and 6 endometrial cancer were investigated by immunohistochemistry.
Results: c-Kit expression decreased as the lesion progressed to endometrial cancer. Immunostaining was mostly focal and weak in the normal endometrium and was mostly diffuse and strong in the simple and complex endometrial hyperplasia.
Conclusions: Simple and complex hyperplastic endometrial tissues express diffuse cytoplasmic staining for c-kit and the expression decreases with the progression of the lesion.