[Diagnostic colposcopy of adenocarcinoma of the cervix uteri (author's transl)].

Although frequency rate of adenocarcinoma of the cervix is about 5% or over in cervical carcinoma, colposcopical studies of this lesion have never been reported systematically. We observed the colposcopic findings of 52 cervical adenocarcinoma cases. Resemblances in the findings between colposcopy of the lesion and hysteroscopy of corpus carcinoma were examined in order to confirm diagnosis. And the points differentiating the lesion from other lesion with similar findings were noted. In early cases, papillary findings (Cad), transformation-like findings (Tad), mixed findings, granulation-like findings (Gr), columnar epithelium (C) and atypical vessels (aV) were observed. The lesion tended to bleed and secrete mucus. Glomerulus and tendrilous vessels were seen in the papillaries, and roo-like, wastethread-like, tendrilous and corkscrew-like vessels outside the papillaries. In advanced cases, the lesions tended to necrotic mass and the surface collapsed. White epithelium, mosaic and punctation were not observed in the pure adenocarcinoma cases but were observed in some adeno-squamous carcinoma cases. These surface and capillary characteristics resembled the hysteroscopic findings of corpus carcinoma. The papillary findings resembled some squamous carcinoma findings, papilloma and columnar epithelium. We differentiated the lesion by color, luster, degree of alteration after application of acetic acid, shape of papillaries, nature of bleedings, secretion of mucus, formation of necrotic mass, surface degeneration and vessel types.