Adenomyosis in endometrial cancer: protective factor or prognostic marker? A narrative review

The co-occurrence of adenomyosis and endometrial cancer (EC) has garnered increasing attention due to its potential impact on tumor progression and patient outcomes. Adenomyosis, characterized by ectopic endometrial tissue within the myometrium, creates a unique inflammatory and hormonal microenvironment that may influence endometrial tumor biology. This review synthesizes findings from studies conducted in the last decade, focusing on tumor stage, histopathological characteristics, and prognostic outcomes in patients with coexisting adenomyosis and EC. Evidence suggests that adenomyosis is associated with favorable tumor characteristics, such as reduced deep myometrial invasion and lymphovascular space invasion and may correlate with improved survival outcomes. However, conflicting findings highlight the need for further research to elucidate these interactions and their underlying mechanisms.