Origin, frequency and clinical significance of glandular cells in liquid-based pap tests from patients posthysterectomy.
OBJECTIVE
To quantify the frequency and significance of glandular cells in posthysterectomy liquid-based (SurePath, TriPath Imaging, Burlington, North Carolina, U.S.A.) vaginal Pap tests.


METHODS
The presence of benign glandular cells in vaginal Pap tests from posthysterectomy patients represents a diagnostic challenge and may pose management issues. We investigated the presence, frequency and significance of glandular cells in 52 liquid-based (SurePath) vaginal Pap tests from posthysterectomy patients by combining cytomorphologic findings with adjunctive immunohistochemistry and mucin stains performed on cell block preparations and correlated the findings with clinical data.


RESULTS
After performing these special studies, the frequency of reporting glandular cells in posthysterectomy Pap tests decreased from 3.5% to 1.2% of all vaginal Pap tests performed in a 6-month period.


CONCLUSIONS
A strong association of the presence of benign appearing glandular cells and a previous history of gynecological malignancy (71%) and chemotherapy/radiation (59%) were noted, likely representing a regenerative process in response to injury or therapy.
Ramdall
Risha B
RB
Department of Pathology, New York University Medical Center-Bellevue Hospital Center, New York, New York, USA. rramdall@yahoo.com
Wallach
Robert C
RC
Cangiarella
Joan
J
Cai
Guoping
G
Elgert
Paul
P
Simsir
Aylin
A
Levine
Pascale
P
D000368:Aged; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy; D053552:Keratin-7 / Q000378:metabolism; D009077:Mucins / Q000378:metabolism; D014621:Vagina / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D014626:Vaginal Smears; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery
D053552:Keratin-7; D009077:Mucins