Glassy cell carcinoma of the cervix: a systematic review and meta-analysis

The purpose of this study is to summarize the data on the incidence, clinical behavior and overall survival of patients with glassy cell cervical carcinoma (GCCC).

Twenty-four case series and fifteen case reports identified by searching PubMed database qualified for inclusion in this study. The published cases were combined with data from a retrospective chart review of patients with GCCC in two major teaching hospitals in Brooklyn, NY.

A total of 292 cases were collected through our literature and chart review. Median age at diagnosis was 45 years old (range 12-87 years of age). GCCC incidence ranges from 0.2 to 9.3% of all cervical cancers and 2 to 30.2% of cervical adenocarcinomas. The stage distribution is similar to squamous cell carcinoma with 79% of the patients being diagnosed with Stage I or II disease. Most common sites of recurrence for Stage I patients are the vagina and pelvis. In Stage II patients locoregional and distant metastases are equally common. Recurrence rate was higher among patients treated only with surgery (32.7%), as compared to patients treated with surgery followed by radiation (11%) or patients treated with radiation only (10%). Median overall survival (OS) was 25 months (95% CI 8.4-41.6). Overall 5-year survival for all stages is lower when compared to all cervical cancers (54.8% vs 75%). There was no interaction between race and OS (p=0.66).

GCCC is a rare histologic type of cervical cancer that presents at a younger age, is associated with high risk for distant failure and carries worse prognosis as compared to the squamous cell type. Radiation therapy is associated with decreased risk of recurrence.