Obstet Gynecol Sci.  2019 Nov;62(6):478-482. 10.5468/ogs.2019.62.6.478.

A case of endometrial glassy cell carcinoma: a rare entity which necessitates of better understanding

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Obstetrics, Foundation MBBM, Monza, Italy. clelia.callegari@gmail.com
  • 2University of Milan-Bicocca School of Medicine and Surgery, Monza, Italy.
  • 3Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Bolognini Hospital, Seriate, Italy.
  • 4Department of Pathology, Bolognini Hospital, Seriate, Italy.

Abstract

Endometrial glassy cell carcinoma (EGCC) is a rare neoplasm, accounting for 0.5% of the carcinomas in the endometrium, composed of cells with granular eosinophilic or amphophilic cytoplasm, giving it a ground glass appearance. Till date, only 14 cases of this carcinoma have been reported. In this report, we have described a case of EGCC to help define standard diagnostic criteria and better understand the course, ideal treatment, and accurate prognosis of this disease. We report a case of a 64-year-old woman diagnosed with EGCC after an abnormal pap smear. She underwent a hysteroscopy, which led to the histological diagnosis. Laparotomic total hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy were performed with pelvic lymphadenectomy and peritoneal and omental biopsies. Final pathological examination confirmed the initial diagnosis. Pelvic nodes removed during surgery and peritoneal and omental biopsies were negative for tumor cells. Treatment was considered appropriate and the patient did not require additional therapies. She was subsequently assigned to clinical follow-up and is alive, with no evidence of the disease.

Keyword

Endometrial cancer; Glassy cell carcinoma; Uterine cancer

MeSH Terms

Biopsy
Cytoplasm
Diagnosis
Endometrial Neoplasms
Endometrium
Eosinophils
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Glass
Humans
Hysterectomy
Hysteroscopy
Lymph Node Excision
Middle Aged
Papanicolaou Test
Prognosis
Uterine Neoplasms

Figure

  • Fig. 1 Hematoxylin and eosin staining (20×): Neoplasia characterized by ground glass cells with large nuclei associated with inflammatory cell infiltration.


Reference

1. Cherry CP, Glucksmann A. Incidence, histology, and response to radiation of mixed carcinomas (adenoacanthomas) of the uterine cervix. Cancer. 1956; 9:971–979.
Article
2. Seltzer V, Sall S, Castadot MJ, Muradian-Davidian M, Sedlis A. Glassy cell cervical carcinoma. Gynecol Oncol. 1979; 8:141–151.
Article
3. Tamimi HK, Ek M, Hesla J, Cain JM, Figge DC, Greer BE. Glassy cell carcinoma of the cervix redefined. Obstet Gynecol. 1988; 71:837–841.
4. Aru A, Rasmussen LA, Federspiel B, Horn T. Glassy cell carcinoma of the colon with human chorionic gonadotropin-production. A case report with immunohistochemical and ultrastructural analysis. Am J Surg Pathol. 1996; 20:187–192.
5. Herbold DR, Axelrod JH, Bobowski SJ, Freel JH. Glassy cell carcinoma of the fallopian tube. A case report. Int J Gynecol Pathol. 1988; 7:384–390.
Article
6. Christopherson WM, Alberhasky RC, Connelly PJ. Glassy cell carcinoma of the endometrium. Hum Pathol. 1982; 13:418–421.
7. Arends JW, Willebrand D, DeKoning Gans HJ, Swaen GJ, Bosman FT. Adenocarcinoma of the endometrium with glassy-cell features--immunohistochemical observations. Histopathology. 1984; 8:873–879.
Article
8. Dawson EC, Belinson JL, Lee K. Glassy cell carcinoma of the endometrium responsive to megestrol acetate. Gynecol Oncol. 1989; 33:121–124.
Article
9. De Rosa G, Barra E, Palombini L, Nappi C. Glassy cell carcinoma of the endometrium. Pathologica. 1987; 79:339–345.
10. Hachisuga T, Sugimori H, Kaku T, Matsukuma K, Tsukamoto N, Nakano H. Glassy cell carcinoma of the endometrium. Gynecol Oncol. 1990; 36:134–138.
Article
11. Mhawech P, Dellas A, Terracciano LM. Glassy cell carcinoma of the endometrium: a case report and review of the literature. Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2001; 125:816–819.
12. Ferrandina G, Zannoni GF, Petrillo M, Vellone V, Martinelli E, Scambia G. Glassy cell carcinoma of the endometrium: a case report and review of the literature. Pathol Res Pract. 2007; 203:217–220.
Article
13. Nagy PS, Sipos J. Glassy cell carcinoma of the endometrium: case report and review of the literature. Orv Hetil. 2009; 150:1173–1176.
Article
14. Kurman RJ, Hedrick Ellenson L, Ronnett BM. Blaunstein's pathology of the female genital tract. 6th ed. New York (NY): Springer Nature;2011.
15. Nordström B, Strang P, Bergström R, Nilsson S, Tribukait B. A comparison of proliferation markers and their prognostic value for women with endometrial carcinoma. Ki-67, proliferating cell nuclear antigen, and flow cytometric S-phase fraction. Cancer. 1996; 78:1942–1951.
Article
Full Text Links
  • OGS
Actions
Cited
CITED
export Copy
Close
Share
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
Similar articles
Copyright © 2024 by Korean Association of Medical Journal Editors. All rights reserved.     E-mail: koreamed@kamje.or.kr