The prognosis of adenosquamous carcinomas of the uterine cervix.
OBJECTIVE
Firstly, to identify a cohort of women with invasive adenosquamous carcinomas of the uterine cervix, including mucin-producing squamous cell carcinomas. Secondly, to compare the biological characteristics and behaviour of a cohort of adenosquamous carcinomas with a cohort of non-mucin-producing squamous cell carcinomas.


METHODS
Histological review, retrospective survival analysis.


METHODS
Regional multidisciplinary gynaecological oncology service.


METHODS
161 cases of stage 1B and above invasive cervical carcinoma presenting between 1 January 1980 and 31 July 1987. Thirty nine women with adenosquamous carcinomas were compared with 103 women with non-mucin-producing squamous cell tumours.


RESULTS
Inclusion of routine stains for mucin in the assessment of histological material resulted in the reclassification of 38 (24%) of the cases, including the identification of 31 mucin-producing squamous cell carcinomas. The survival with adenosquamous tumours was significantly worse than with squamous cell cancers (P = 0.006), 5-year survival rates being 52% and 75% respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that this effect was explained by differences in clinical stage, pelvic lymph node metastasis and vascular invasion by tumour.


CONCLUSIONS
The application of routine mucin stains to cervical tumours identifies a group of previously unrecognized adenosquamous cancers. Tumours so identified are likely to pursue a more aggressive clinical course associated with a poorer survival when compared to non-mucin-producing squamous carcinomas.
Bethwaite
P
P
Department of Pathology, Wellington School of Medicine, New Zealand.
Yeong
M L
ML
Holloway
L
L
Robson
B
B
Duncan
G
G
Lamb
D
D
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000737:chemistry / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000737:chemistry / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009077:Mucins / Q000032:analysis; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*
D009077:Mucins