Estrogen metabolic enzymes in endometrial hyperplasia and cancer concurrent with uterine myoma

The activity of estrogen metabolic enzymes (aromatase, 2-and 4-estrogenhydroxylases, catechol-Ometyltransferase and glutathionetransferase) in the endometrium was studied in 34 patients with simple and complex typical endometrial hyperplasia and in 44 patients with endometrial cancer. The activity of estrogen metabolic enzymes in patients with endometrial hyperplasia and cancer was correlated with body mass index, menarche age, disease stage, tumor invasion depth into the myomertium as well as with the level of receptors to steroid hormones. The detected interactions between enzymatic activity and the level of receptors to estrogens in tumor tissue indicate that aromatase, estrogenhydroxylases and glutathionetransferase are hormone-dependent enzymes. Variations in enzymatic activity of patients with endometrial hyperplasia with and without uterine myoma seem to reflect the differences in hormonal status between patients of reproductive age and perimenopausal patients. The activity of estrogen metabolic enzymes in the myometrium should be interpreted together with clinical-morphological parameters, hormonal changes and receptor status.