Cytologic changes of cervical cancer according to the degree of invasion

Cellular samples (cervical scrapings) obtained with wooden spatulas from patients with carcinoma in situ, early invasive cancer, and advanced cancer of the uterine cervix were examined. The number of malignant cells in the preparation increased with extent of the lesion. The granular chromatin structures of the nuclei of abnormal cells were observed in almost all cases, and the occurrence of irregularly distributed coarsely granular chromatin increased gradually with the extent of the cancer. Hyperchromasia of malignant cell nuclei and irregular thickening of the nuclear envelope were seen in almost all cases of the lesions. The occurrence of malignant and dysplastic cells of the deep layer types decreased with progression of the lesion from carcinoma in situ to early invasive cancer, and to advanced cancer. There was also a relative increase in the ratio of malignant cells to dysplastic cells.