Ng Wai-Kuen, Cheung Leslie K, Li Albert S
Department of Pathology, Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital, 3 Lok Man Road, Chai Wan, Hong Kong, S.A.R., China.
Acta Cytol. 2004 Jan-Feb;48(1):99-106. doi: 10.1159/000326293.
Glassy cell carcinoma is a rare form of poorly differentiated carcinoma of the cervix with no obvious squamous or glandular differentiation. Its liquid-based cytology findings have not been described before.
A 46-year-old Filipina presented with vaginal bleeding due to a bulky cervical tumor. The liquid-based cytology preparation was of moderate cellularity and contained small clusters of polygonal to elongated tumor cells admixed with amphophilic, granular, necrotic debris. The malignant cells possessed round to oval nuclei; a thin nuclear membrane; finely dispersed chromatin; prominent, solitary nucleoli; abundant, cyanophilic cytoplasm; and discrete cell borders. Occasional tumor cells showed phagocytosis of polymorphs. The background contained a mixed population of inflammatory cells. Eosinophils, though present, were not readily identified in the cytologic specimen. There was no evidence of dyskeratosis, cytoplasmic vacuolation or koilocytosis. Histologic and ultrastructural examination of the tumor biopsy showed classic features of glassy cell carcinoma. Molecular analysis using polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism revealed the presence of human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA in the liquid-based cytology sample. The HPV genotype, however, did not belong to any of the commonly encountered prototypes.
Glassy cell carcinoma of the cervix may show distinct, though subtle, cytomorphologic features in liquid-based preparations. The findings, however, are slightly different from those in conventional cervical smears. Awareness of this rare entity is important, as glassy cell carcinoma is often associated with more aggressive clinical behavior.
玻璃样细胞癌是一种罕见的宫颈低分化癌，无明显的鳞状或腺性分化。此前尚未描述过其液基细胞学表现。
一名46岁的菲律宾女性因宫颈肿物出现阴道出血。液基细胞学制片细胞数量中等，含有小簇多边形至细长形肿瘤细胞，混有嗜两性、颗粒状坏死碎屑。恶性细胞具有圆形至椭圆形核；薄核膜；染色质细分散；突出的单个核仁；丰富的嗜碱性细胞质；以及离散的细胞边界。偶尔可见肿瘤细胞吞噬多形核细胞。背景中有混合的炎性细胞群体。嗜酸性粒细胞虽有存在，但在细胞学标本中不易识别。未见角化不良、细胞质空泡化或挖空细胞的证据。肿瘤活检的组织学和超微结构检查显示为玻璃样细胞癌的典型特征。使用聚合酶链反应和限制性片段长度多态性进行的分子分析显示液基细胞学样本中存在人乳头瘤病毒（HPV）DNA。然而，HPV基因型不属于任何常见的原型。
宫颈玻璃样细胞癌在液基制片中可能显示出独特但细微的细胞形态学特征。然而，这些表现与传统宫颈涂片略有不同。认识到这种罕见实体很重要，因为玻璃样细胞癌通常与更具侵袭性的临床行为相关。
