Concomitant endometrial adenoacanthoma and bilateral (inguinal) lymph node endometriotic adenoacanthomas or nodal metastases of the endometrial adenoacanthoma? A case report with a literature survey of the histogenetic aspects of endometriotic foci in pelvic lymph nodes.

This case report depicts an interesting association of well-differentiated adenocarcinoma of the endometrium with benign squamous metaplastic foci confined to the fundus uteri, superficially invading the myometrium and with concomitant bilateral pelvic lymph node endometriotic adenoacanthomas. Right inguinal lymphadenopathy was detected during the first hospitalization. A lymph node biopsy from the right groin, carried out at Nahariyya, revealed apparent metastatic adenoacanthoma regarded most probably as endometrial in origin. Fractionated curettage later showed a stage Ia G1 adenocarcinoma of the endometrium with benign squamous metaplastic elements (adenoacanthoma). At Rambam Hospital, Haifa, left groin node enlargement was noted as well. The Gynecologic Oncology Unit confirmed the previous histologic findings. At exploratory laparotomy total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, paraaortic, and bilateral pelvic lymph node sampling as well as appendectomy were performed. Bilateral groin node dissection was then carried out. Out of 37 nodes examined tumor was found in only one node, namely that of the left groin. The paper includes an extensive survey of the literature on the subject of the histopathogenesis of endometriotic foci in pelvic lymph nodes and the discussion is designed to elucidate the diagnostic problem involved in this case report.