FLORID DEEP GLANDS OF THE UTERINE CERVIX - ANOTHER MIMIC OF ADENOMA MALIGNUM

Two cases of florid deep glands of the uterine cervix, a lesion which mimics adenoma malignum are reported. One case was misdiagnosed as ade noma malignum, and the patient was treated with adjuvant radiotherapy. In contrast to the majority of cases of adenoma malignum in which the re is preoperative evidence of a cervical abnormality, the lesion desc ribed in both cases was an incidental microscopic finding in hysterect omy specimens. The architectural pattern in both these cases was strik ingly similar, showing diffusely scattered endocervical glands within the endocervical stroma extending to the outer third of the cervical w all. However, the variability in size and shape of the glands, which w ere typically round to oval, was less than observed in adenoma malignu m. Additionally, there was no cytologic atypia, which is observed foca lly in most cases of deeply invasive adenoma malignum. The lack of a d esmoplastic stromal reaction, vascular and perineural invasion also ma g. help distinguish florid deep glands from adenoma malignum, Finally, in both cases of florid deep glands, there was no cytoplasmic immunor eactivity for carcinoembryonic antigen, which is in contrast to what i s seen in adenoma malignum.