[Diagnostic endoscopy for malignant uterine tumors]

A hysteroscope is a useful tool for detecting uterine tumors developed in the cervical canal and uterine cavity which are invisible areas. The hysteroscopy discloses easily the findings, location, size and extent of the lesions. Consequently more correct biopsies may be obtained than the conventional curettages which are blind procedures. This paper comprises the instrumentation, technique and hysteroscopic findings of the malignant uterine tumors. Observation of the cervical canal, namely cervicoscopy reveals mainly the appearance of normal cervical wall, preinvasive and invasive squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma and sarcoma. Hysteroscopy reveals the appearance of normal uterine cavity, endometrial carcinoma, sarcoma, metastatic uterine carcinoma, invasive carcinoma infiltrated from the adjacent organs and trophoblastic tumors. As a result, endoscopic features of each uterine malignant tumor are summarized as useful criteria for differential diagnosis.