Significance of cytologic smears in the diagnosis of small cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix.
OBJECTIVE
To provide improved identification of small cell carcinoma (SMCC) and reevaluate the significance of cervical cytologic smears in its diagnosis.


METHODS
Analyses of histocytologic morphology and clinical data were performed by reviewing clinical records, histopathology and cervical cytology smears from 18 SMCC cases of the uterine cervix (including one recurrent case and three SMCC cases with adenocarcinoma) between 1986 and 2001.


RESULTS
Most cases showed minimal cytoplasm, finely stippled ("salt and pepper") chromatin, prominent nuclear molding and smearing effect. Cytologic smears diagnosed or suggested 79% of SMCC cases before histologic confirmation. Of the cases, 89% displayed moderate to high cellularity. The tumor cells were arranged mostly in clusters of varying sizes with no typical architectural pattern. In addition, the tumors often exhibited very pleomorphic cells and recognizable nucleoli.


CONCLUSIONS
Cytologic features of SMCC cells are characteristics enough for specific diagnosis or at least an early indication of it. Timely detection by cervical cytologic smears will allow clinicians to initiate prompt treatment of these aggressive tumors.
Kim
Yoonjung
Y
Department of Anatomic Pathology, Korea Cancer Center Hospital, Gongneung-Dong 215-4, Nowon-Ku, Seoul 139-706, Korea.
Ha
Hwa-jeong
HJ
Kim
Jung-soon
JS
Chung
Jin Haeng
JH
Koh
Jae Soo
JS
Park
Sunhoo
S
Lee
Seung-Sook
SS
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D003584:Cytological Techniques / Q000592:standards; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000592:standards*