Adenoid cystic and adenoid basal carcinomas of the cervix

Adenoid basal and adenoid cystic carcinomas of the cervix are uncommon and differ from each other in their histology, treatment, and prognosis. Whereas adenoid basal carcinoma is a slow-growing, locally invasive lesion amenable to simply hysterectomy, adenoid cystic carcinoma is an aggressive tumor associated with regional lymph node involvement and late pulmonary metastases. This study, based on the evaluation of nine cases of adenoid cystic and five cases of adenoid basal carcinoma of the cervix, reviews the literature and formulates a program for the management of these rare lesions.