title: Adenocarcinoma of the uterine endometrium. Surface ultrastructure as an indicator of malignant potential and effect of treatment.
abstract: In this study the surface ultrastructural changes of uterine adenocarcinomas of varying differentiation were compared to histological and clinical findings and the effect of radiation and hormone treatment analyzed. The results showed a close correlation between number, distribution and development of microvilli and cilia and degree of differentiation of the tumor: the cells of the anaplastic lesions were covered by sparse pleomorphic microvilli and ciliated cells were absent. Radiation therapy caused tissue destruction, necrosis and inflammation while progestin therapy caused an increase in the number of pleomorphic microvilli. Cell size and shape were also closely related to underlying morphological changes indicating the extent of neoplastic transformation and the effect of treatment. It is concluded that SEM analysis is a valuable adjunct to conventional techniques but not a diagnostic tool as such.
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008871:Microvilli / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000648:ultrastructure*