Increased incidence of adenocarcinoma of uterine cervix

A greater than expected incidence of adenocaricinoma of the uterine cervix is reported. Among 41 cases of cervical carcinoma, 14 (34%) were adenocarcinoma. Clinicopathologic data for these cases are summarized. Eleven of the 14 cases were pure adenocarcinomas; 3 were mixed adenosquamous carcinoma. The value of cytopathology is demonstrated in the 7 of 9 pretreatment cervical cytologies whereby adenocarcinoma was indicated (an accuracy rate of 78%). The other 2 revealed abnormal cells in which malignancy was a possibility. Three cases clinically were initially considered endometrial adenocarcinoma, but by our classification criteria, including Alcian blue staining for cervical mucin content of acid mucopolysaccharide, they were more specifically identified as primary endocervical in origin.