Objective: To identify the cytomorphologic features and investigate the expression of estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) in glassy cell carcinoma (GCC) of the uterine cervix.
Study design: A retrospective analysis of nine GCCs encountered at Korea Cancer Center Hospital between January 1990 and April 1999 was undertaken. The cervical smears were obtained prior to histologic diagnosis of GCC. The cytomorphologic and clinical features were reviewed, and the expression of ER and PR was investigated immunohistochemically on histologic sections.
Results: Smears of GCC were hypercellular and remarkably cohesive. The tumor cells were large and characterized by abundant granular cytoplasm, distinct cell membranes and round to polygonal, large nuclei with prominent nucleoli. In the background tumor diathesis and numerous inflammatory cells containing eosinophils were present. The inflammatory cells (mainly eosinophils) were intimately associated with tumor cells to form "granuloepithelial complex." Immunohistochemically, ER was identified in two of the nine cases and PR in one of them.
Conclusion: Cytology of GCC has characteristic features that differ from those of other carcinomas or atypical reparative cells. Although there are deceptive mimics of GCC, the characteristic cytologic findings should prompt a diagnosis of GCC. ER and PR positivity was found in two cases (22%) and one case (11%), respectively, of GCC, suggesting that this tumor might be hormonally responsive.