Cervical adenocarcinoma in situ.

Cervical adenocarcinoma in situ is a rare disease. Eighteen patients with this disease seen at the University of Michigan Medical Center are reported, with a review of their clinical characteristics and pathologic data. These patients represented 9.2% of all endocervical adenocarcinomas seen during the study period. Their median age was 37 years, compared with a median age of 47 years in those women with invasive disease. Sixty percent presented with abnormal bleeding. Cone biopsy margins were examined in 12 patients, and accurately predicted the presence or absence of disease in ten of 12 hysterectomy specimens. One patient developed recurrent adenocarcinoma, and died of disease 16 years after initial diagnosis. Based on these data, it is suggested that hysterectomy and pelvic lymph node evaluation be used to treat these patients.