OBJECTIVE: To explore the application of computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in combination with vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in the identification of endometrial cancer stages.
METHODS: Clinical data of 84 patients with endometrial cancer who underwent surgery in our hospital were retrospectively analyzed. Before surgery, they were received inspection by CT and MRI and examination by VEGF-C and EGFR measurement. The pathological results after surgery were used as the gold standard, which was applied to compare the diagnostic accuracy of endometrial cancer stages by CT, MRI, and CT+MRI and to analyze how VEGF-C and EGFR expression and CT+MRI diagnosis correlated with relevant pathological parameters.
RESULTS: Using pathological results as the gold standard, the diagnostic accuracy of endometrial cancer stages via CT+MRI combined with VEGF-C+EGFR immunostaining was significantly higher (96.43%) compared with CT+MRI, CT, and MRI (91.67%, 70.24%, and 77.38%, respectively) (P<0.05). The positive rates of VEGF-C and EGFR expression in patients with different endometrial cancer stages identified by CT+MRI were significantly different (P<0.05). Spearman's rank correlation coefficient showed that the positive rates of VEGF-C and EGFR expression were both positively correlated with CT+MRI identified stages (r>0, P<0.05). The accuracy of CT+MRI diagnosed lymph node metastasis, myometrial infiltration, and interstitial infiltration was 90.48%, 92.86%, and 84.52%, respectively. The positive rates of VEGF-C and EGFR expression were significantly higher by lymph node metastasis compared with non-metastasis; the positive rates of VEGF-C and EGFR expression were significantly higher by deep myometrial infiltration compared with superficial infiltration; the positive rates of VEGF-C and EGFR expression were significantly higher by interstitial infiltration compared with no interstitial infiltration (P<0.05).
CONCLUSION: CT and MRI combined with VEGF-C and EGFR can effectively identify endometrial cancer stages.
