A case of uterine cervical adenoid cystic carcinoma: immunohistochemical study for basement membrane material.

BACKGROUND

Adenoid cystic carcinoma is a rare neoplasm of the cervix. Only two reports of immunohistochemical studies for basement membrane material in adenoid cystic carcinoma of the cervix have been reported.

CASE

An 80-year-old Japanese woman complained of atypical vaginal bleeding and underwent removal of a cervical polyp; the biopsy specimen revealed a solid variant of adenoid cystic carcinoma. The tumor was composed of nests and nodules of small carcinoma cells, and there were few characteristic cribriform patterns. Immunohistochemical findings for type IV collagen and laminin revealed intercellular cylinders composed of basement membrane material in the solid area without a cribriform pattern.

CONCLUSION

The immunohistochemical finding of intercellular cylinders that reacted for type IV collagen was useful for the diagnosis of a solid variant of adenoid cystic carcinoma.