Glassy cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix

Background and Objectives: Glassy cell carcinoma (GCC) of the uterine cervi x is a rare and highly malignant tumor, accounting for only 1%-2% of all ce rvical carcinomas. The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinica l findings, treatment, and outcome of patients with cervical GCC in the sou th of Israel. Methods: Data from the files of 5 patients with cervical GCC who were manag ed at the Soroka Medical Center, Beer-Sheva, Israel, between January 1961 a nd June 1999 were evaluated. Results: Age at diagnosis ranged from 32 to 84 years, with 1 patient pregna nt at the time of diagnosis. Vaginal bleeding was the prevailing presenting symptom. The cervical lesion was exophytic in 4 patients and endophytic (" barrel-shaped") in 1 patient. Mean tumor size was 3.9 cm. Three patients wi th stage IB, disease had radical hysterectomy and bilateral pelvic lymph no de dissection followed by either external pelvic radiotherapy or brachyther apy or both. All 3 patients were alive without disease 4, 12, and 18 months after initial diagnosis, respectively. One patient with stage IIIB disease had external pelvic radiotherapy alone and died of disease 12 months after initial diagnosis. One patient with stage IVB disease refused treatment an d died of disease 3 months after initial diagnosis. Conclusions: Cervical GCC is a rare variant of cervical cancer with distinc t histologic features and an alleged aggressive clinical behavior. For earl y-stage disease, the treatment of choice seems to be radical surgery follow ed by chemoradiotherapy. (C) 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.