Goblet-like cells in atrophic vaginal smears and their histologic correlation. Possible confusion with endocervical cells.
The occurrence and origin of goblet-like cells seen between clusters of parabasal cells in atrophic vaginal smears were investigated. The goblet-like cells were cytologically identified in the vaginal smears from 23 (19.2%) of 120 patients whose smears showed an atrophic pattern, but without any inflammatory, dysplastic or malignant changes. Histologically, these cells were found in sections from 6 (18.8%) of 32 elderly women with atrophic vaginal epithelium. The goblet-like cells were situated among the squamous cells of the upper layer of the atrophic squamous epithelium from the vagina to the portio. These goblet-like cells in atrophic smears were initially misinterpreted as endocervical cells, which are regarded as a marker of smear adequacy in the cytologic screening for cancer of the uterine cervix. The correct interpretation of these goblet-like cells in smears from postmenopausal and elderly women is thus obviously important in assessing the adequacy of the sample for the detection of abnormal cells.
Department of Pathology, Tokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Hospital, Japan.
N
N
Koike
T
T
Higuchi
Y
Y
Sakai
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D001284:Atrophy; D001344:Autopsy; D004848:Epithelium / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D014621:Vagina / Q000254:growth & development / Q000473:pathology*; D014626:Vaginal Smears