Frequency of tumor diathesis in smears from women with squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix

Acta Cytologica
L Rushing, Edmund S Cibas

Abstract

To determine the prevalence of tumor diathesis (TD) in cervicovaginal smears from patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SQC). We reviewed all the cervical smears obtained no more than one year before a biopsy diagnosis of SQC. Patients who underwent irradiation to the cervix before the smear was taken were excluded from the analysis. The smears were rescreened by both authors, and the presence and extent of TD were recorded. Twenty-eight smears from 19 patients with SQC fulfilled the study criteria. TD was seen in 15 of the 28 smears (54%). There was a positive correlation between the presence of TD and the depth of invasion. Although an important criterion of malignancy, TD is absent from some cases of SQC, particularly those that invade < 5 mm. A definite distinction between an intraepithelial lesion and a shallow invasive cancer may not be possible on cervicovaginal smears.

Citations

Jan 1, 2003·Diagnostic Cytopathology·Pascale Hummel LevineKhush Mittal

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell

Basal cell carcinoma is a form of malignant skin cancer found on the head and neck regions and has low rates of metastasis. Discover the latest research on basal cell carcinoma here.