Letter to the Editor Clear cell adenocarcinoma of the uterine cervix in a 24-year-old woman. and review of the literature

Abstract

Carcinoma of the uterine cervix is the most common gynecologic malignant neoplasm all over the world [1,2], but the second one in Poland after carcinoma of the endometrium [3]. In 2009 in Poland the number of its new cases was 3102, and the age-adjusted incidence rate was 10.2 per 100 000 women. In the age group 20-24 year the age-adjusted incidence rate of the cervical cancer was 0.4 per 100 000, and there were 6 new cases noted in Poland. It constituted 1.86% of the cancer incidence rate of all localizations in this age group in Poland [3]. The most common histological type of malignant cervical neoplasms is squamous cell carcinoma. Adenocarcinomas account only for approximately 15% of malignant cervical tumors [1,2,4,5]. The screening based on exfoliative cytology introduced in the 1950s by Papanicolau, followed by colposcopy in appropriate patients, is an effective method for identifying squamous intraepithelial lesions [1,2].The goals of colposcopy are to identify suspicious areas that require biopsy and to determine the extent of the lesions [2]. Treatment of intraepithelial lesions is determined on the basis of the histological diagnosis and the extent of the lesions on colposcopic examination [1,2].Unfortunately, the Pap-smear screening is less efficient, or even of no benefit in cervical adenocarcinomas [4][5][6]. The marked decrease of the incidence of cervical squamous cell carcinoma in the last decades thanks to the screening appears to be in contrast to the increasing rate of cervical adenocarcinomas [4,5]. The diagnosis, when cervical cancer does not arise from the squamous epithelium, and additionally the patient is a young woman, can be very difficult.A 24-year-old woman, without any coexisting diseases, with negative familial cancer history, was admitted to our department in February 2005 because of primary clear cell adenocarcinoma of the uterine cervix. She had reported abnormal vaginal bleeding, non-specific symptoms such as head-ache and nausea, and weight loss (nearly 12 pounds), which had been appearing for the last 6 months. For that time she had been taking

A retrospective analysis of women diagnosed with unclassified HPV genotypes

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Clear cell adenocarcinoma of cervix in 1-year-old girl without in utero exposure to diethylstilbestrol: an uncommon tumour at an uncommon age and site

“…Cancer of the cervix is the most common gynaecological malignancy worldwide 1. However, its occurrence in the paediatric age group is rare 2.…”