Clinicopathologic features of villoglandular papillary adenocarcinoma of the uterine cervix.

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this study are to analyze the clinicopathologic features of villoglandular papillary adenocarcinoma (VGPA) of the uterine cervix and to discuss the management thereof. We examined 13 patients with VGPA.

METHODS

Clinical profiles, including patient age, clinical stage, surgical procedure, and outcome, were recorded. Pathologically, macroscopic features, polypoid tumor size, horizontal spread and depth of endophytic tumor, nuclear atypicality, mitotic count, lymph capillary space invasion, and lymph node metastasis were investigated.

RESULTS

The median age of 13 patients was 45 years, with 10 and 3 patients staged Ib and IIb, respectively. All the patients underwent hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy and are alive without recurrence. Macroscopically, the tumor showed a polypoid pattern in 8 patients and a flat pattern in the remaining 5 patients. Polypoid tumor size ranged between 4 x 2 and 20 x 15 mm. Horizontal spread and depth of endophytic tumor ranged between 8 and 30 mm and between 3 and 11 mm, respectively. The tumor in all the 13 patients except 1 showed moderate nuclear atypicality. The mean mitotic count was 43/10 high-power fields. Lymph capillary space invasion was present in 4 patients, 1 of whom also had bulky lymph node metastases.

CONCLUSIONS

VGPA has been reported to rarely involve lymph capillary space invasion or lymph node metastasis, leading some surgeons to conduct less radical surgeries such as conization. Nevertheless, we encountered patients with these pathologic risk factors. Much caution should be exercised in managing patients with VGPA.