Lotocki R J, Krepart G V, Paraskevas M, Vadas G, Heywood M, Fung F K
Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Manitoba, Affiliated Teaching Hospitals, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada.
Gynecol Oncol. 1992 Mar;44(3):254-9. doi: 10.1016/0090-8258(92)90052-k.
Glassy cell carcinoma of the cervix is a distinct clinicopathologic entity. This infrequent pathologic subtype is an aggressive biologic tumor associated with a rapid clinical course and poor outcome with conventional treatment modalities in the majority of cases. In a 12-year period from July 1976 to June 1988, 32 cases of glassy cell carcinoma of the cervix were identified. This accounted for 5.3% of all cervical carcinomas. The mean age was 10 years younger than that of other histologic subtypes. A disproportional number of patients with glassy cell carcinoma had malignancies of early clinical stages. The 5-year survival of patients with Stage IB glassy cell carcinoma of the cervix was 45% when treated with primary radical surgery in contrast to 90% for squamous cell and 78% for adenocarcinoma. When bimodal therapy with radical surgery and radical radiotherapy was used, the survival of patients with Stage IB glassy cell carcinoma improved to 87%. Survival of patients with Stage II glassy cell carcinoma of the cervix improved from 50% to 85% with combined radical surgery and radiotherapy. Despite a combination of radical surgery and radiotherapy, complications were minimal.
