title: Endocervical adenocarcinoma: selected diagnostic challenges.
abstract: Endocervical adenocarcinomas can be classified into two main types of tumors, namely, those related to high-risk human papillomavirus and those unrelated to high-risk human papillomavirus. The former, representing the vast majority, are referred to as endocervical adenocarcinomas of usual type and the latter are dominated by the gastric-type mucinous adenocarcinomas. Commonly encountered diagnostic problems concerning these endocervical adenocarcinomas include: (1) diagnosing invasion for endocervical adenocarcinomas of usual type, particularly superficial forms which must be distinguished from extensive endocervical adenocarcinoma in situ; (2) distinguishing high-risk human papillomavirus-related endocervical adenocarcinomas from endometrial endometrioid carcinomas; and (3) distinguishing benign/hyperplastic mucinous endocervical glandular proliferations from gastric-type mucinous endocervical adenocarcinomas, particularly minimal deviation adenocarcinoma. The current review provides practical points and numerous illustrative examples to guide pathologists in addressing these diagnostic challenges in routine practice.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Pathology and Gynecology and Obstetrics, The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Brigitte M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Ronnett
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000150:complications; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology*