Distribution of Mast Cells in Uterine Leiomyoma and Adjacent Myometrium: A Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

Introduction: Mast cells are involved in various physiological and pathological processes. Their role in neoplasm angiogenesis remains an enigma. Mast cells have been observed in association with smooth muscle tumours of the uterus. The role of mast cells in leiomyomas is conflicting, with some studies favoring tumour development and others showing the opposite. Aim: To assess the distribution of mast cells in uterine leiomyomas and the adjacent myometrium. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study included 100 consecutive hysterectomy specimens from patients who underwent surgery for leiomyoma over a period of one year and five months at PES Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Kuppam, Andhra Pradesh, India. Sections from the leiomyoma and adjacent myometrium were stained with Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) and toluidine blue stains. Mast cell distribution was calculated. The data was collected and analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) (Version 23.0; SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). Mast cell counts were expressed as mean and standard deviation. The comparison between the means of different groups was performed using the “Independent sample t-test.” A p-value<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: A total of 100 leiomyoma cases were included in the study. The mean age of the study participants who underwent hysterectomy was 46.3±6.73 years, and the majority (32%) of them were in the age group of 46-50 years. The average number of mast cells in the leiomyoma and adjacent myometrium was 11.65±15.813 and 37.16±23.008, respectively. A statistically significant difference was observed between leiomyoma and adjacent myometrium (p-value<0.0001). Conclusion: A higher distribution of mast cells was observed in the myometrium adjacent to the leiomyoma. This finding may indicate that mast cells play a role in the growth of leiomyoma by providing appropriate growth factors.