The cytological features and DNA content of cervical adenocarcinoma.

The relationship among cytological features, DNA content, and degree of histological differentiation of cervical adenocarcinoma was investigated in an attempt to discover a more accurate means of screening for this cancer. In highly differentiated adenocarcinoma (so-called adenoma malignum), the nuclei were only somewhat more irregular in size and shape than those of normal columnar epithelial cells. The cells were arranged in slightly multilayered clusters. The cells of well-differentiated adenocarcinoma were usually columnar in shape, and they exfoliated side by side in clusters. In moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma, solitary cells with markedly atypical nuclei were combined with multilayered cell clusters. The cells from poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma were roundish, occurred as solitary cells or irregularly overlapping cell clusters, and showed markedly atypical nuclei. As the degree of histological differentiation decreased, as determined by measurement of the DNA content of the cells, the DNA distribution covered a wider range in terms of ploidy, and the number of cells exceeding tetraploid DNA content increased.