Cytological study of cervical adenocarcinoma (endocervical type) according to histologic differentiation

Abstract

We classified cervical adenocarcinoma of endocervical type into 4 subtypes [highly (HDA), well (WDA), moderately (MDA) and poorly (PDA) differentiated adenocarcinoma] according to the degree of grandular and cellular differentiation, and studied the cytological characteristics and nuclear DNA contents among them.
HDA (so called adenoma malignum) had a palisaded formation in a small cluster, and had slight nuclear irregularity and rich and tall cytoplasm.
WDA and MDA had the findings of generally so called endocervical adenocarcinoma.
In PDA clusters were rarely grouped, and apparently overlapped. Hyperchromatic and pleomorphic nuclei and prominent nucleoli were seen in large number.
From the analysis of nuclear DNA contents, HDA were found to have mostly diploid mode like the normal columnar cell. And PDA showed the histograms having the deviation of the stem line to the right, and increased incidence of polyploid and aneuploid cells.
These cytologic characteristics are very useful not only for the differential diagnosis of the subtypes of any differentiation but also for the early detection and diagnosis of endocervical adenocarcinoma itself.