[Biological essence of the squamous-cell structures in 2-component endometrial cancer]

Combined comparative study of anatomo-histological features, proliferative activity, content of X-chromatin, and ploidy of the nuclei of epithelial structures of 7 adenoacanthomas, 8 glandular-squamous cell carcinomas, and 7 adenocarcinomas (control group) of the endometrium was carried out. Microspectrophotometry of DNA revealed heterogeneity in DNA content and polyploidy typical of malignant growth in all cell populations, including squamous cell component of adenoacanthomas. The correlation between reduced degree of histological differentiation, depth of invasion, and decreased number of nuclei containing X-chromatin bodies as well as the occurrence of histological transitions suggest that adenoacanthomas and glandular-squamous cell carcinomas should be regarded as one group of two-component endometrial tumors and the terms used for their designations as synonyms. Within this group, highly and poorly differentiated variants may be distinguished which is of prognostic importance.