Pseudoneoplastic lesions of the female genital tract.
BACKGROUND
Numerous benign, proliferative, or reactive processes, often related to hormone stimulation or inflammation, occur throughout the female genital tract and may mimic benign or malignant tumors. Several of the more common pseudoneoplastic lesions are discussed in this article, including microglandular hyperplasia of the cervix mimicking well-differentiated endometrial adenocarcinoma, reactive epithelial changes in the fallopian tubes mimicking adenocarcinoma or carcinoma in situ, and pregnancy changes in the ovary including pregnancy luteoma and large solitary luteinized follicular cyst of pregnancy and puerperium that may mimic ovarian neoplasms.


OBJECTIVE
To discuss and illustrate several common lesions of the female genital tract that mimic neoplasms.


METHODS
Material derived from consultation cases and review of the literature.


CONCLUSIONS
Many benign hyperplastic or reactive processes that occur in the female genital tract may be mistaken for neoplasms both clinically and pathologically. Awareness of the features of such lesions will aid in their correct diagnosis and prevent overtreatment of benign processes.
Medeiros
Fabiola
F
Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA.
Bell
Debra A
DA
D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005831:Genital Diseases, Female / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005833:Genital Neoplasms, Female / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis; D006104:Granuloma, Plasma Cell / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy