2012 Volume 51 Issue 2 Pages 143-146
Background : Clear cell uterine-cervix adenocarcinoma is extremely rare, accounting for just 4% of cases. We report such a case diagnosed preoperatively from cytological and histological findings.
Case : A 62-year-old woman was seen for suspected cervical clear cell adenocarcinoma found in a Pap test. A readily bleeding polypoid tumor found arising in the cervical canal was resected. Cytologically, tumor cells had round nuclei, a prominent nucleolus, and clear cytoplasm, arranged in sheet-like, glandular, and “mirror ball” patterns. Histologically, the tumor consisted of clear or “hobnail” cells in papillary, tubocystic, or solid patterns. Radical hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy including pelvic lymph node dissection showed that, grossly, the uterine cervix wall had no residual tumor. Histologically, no residual cancer was seen.
Conclusion : Early-stage cervical adenocarcinoma is difficult to diagnose. Our case may have been found and treated early thanks to exophytic growths such as an endocervical polyp and cytological features.
