A Histopathological Analysis of 69 Cases of Adenocarcinoma of the Uterine Cervix

Myong, Na Hye; Ha, Chang Won; Cho, Kyung Ja; Jang, Ja June

Abstract

Cervical adenocarcinoma represents approximately 3-6% of the uterine cervical neoplasms. Recently, its relative incidence tends to be increased in contrast to squamous cell carcinoma. Sixty nine cases from 1985 to 1990 diagonsed as adenocarcinoma of the cervix by radical or total hysterectomy were analyzed to know their histopathological characteristics and related prognostic factors. The results wer as follows. (1) The age distribution ranged from 24 to 60 years and the mean age was 44 years and 47 years in adenocarcinoma in situ and invasive adenocarcinoma, respectively. Staging by FIGO classification showed the range from stage 0 to IIb, of which 63.8% was stage Ib. (2) Cases were composed of 7 cases of adenocarcinoma in situ(10%) and 62 cases of invasive adenocarcinomas(90%). The latter included 16 cases of adenosquamous carcinoma and 46 cases of pure adenocarcinoma which showed endocervical, endometrioid, clear cell, minimal deviation adenocarcinoma subtypes. The most frequent subtype was endocervical adenocarcinoma(51%) and the endometrioid subtype showed slightly higher incidence rate(13%) in comparison to the previous studies. (3) Coexistent squamous lesions ranging from mild dysplasia to invasive carcinoma were found in 4 out of 7 cases(57%) of adenocarcinoma in situ and 18 out of 62 cases(29%) of invasive adenocarcinoma. Severe dysplasia and carcinoma in situ comprised most(77%) of them. (4) Analyses of histopathological and clinical characteristics of adenocarcinoma of the uterine cervix revealed positive correlations between tumor size or mucin leakage and depth of invasion. The prognostic factors in relation to lymph node metastasis were considered to be th stage of disease, the size of tumor, mucin leakage in the stroma, and histologic subtypes.