Combined signet ring cell and glassy cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix arising in a young Japanese woman: a case report with immunohistochemical and histochemical analyses

Pathol Int. 2004 Oct;54(10):787-92. doi: 10.1111/j.1440-1827.2004.01756.x.

Abstract

Signet ring cell carcinoma and glassy cell carcinoma are both rare histological subtypes of uterine cervical cancer. This report is of a case of uterine cervical carcinoma arising in a 29-year-old woman who had major components of signet ring cell carcinoma and glassy cell carcinoma within the same tumor. Histochemical and immunohistochemical analyses, including high and low molecular weight cytokeratins, p63 and MUC5AC, additionally demonstrated the squamous and adenocarcinomatous differentiation in the neoplastic cells, which showed otherwise unclassifiable morphology on the haematoxylin-eosin sections. A wide range of differentiation described above supports the speculation that glassy cell carcinoma may arise from the multipotential immature cells that can differentiate into both squamous and glandular cells. It would be precise to classify this tumor as adenosquamous carcinoma. Although adenosquamous carcinoma is not a rare histological subtype in the uterine cervix, it should be necessary to report the presence of glassy cells and signet ring cells when present because the presence of both components is associated with an unfavorable clinical behavior.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / metabolism
  • Carcinoma, Adenosquamous / metabolism
  • Carcinoma, Adenosquamous / pathology*
  • Carcinoma, Adenosquamous / therapy
  • Carcinoma, Signet Ring Cell / metabolism
  • Carcinoma, Signet Ring Cell / pathology*
  • Carcinoma, Signet Ring Cell / therapy
  • Chemotherapy, Adjuvant
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Female
  • Genes, Tumor Suppressor
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Keratins / metabolism
  • Mucin 5AC
  • Mucins / metabolism
  • Neoplasms, Multiple Primary / metabolism
  • Neoplasms, Multiple Primary / pathology*
  • Phosphoproteins / metabolism
  • Trans-Activators / metabolism
  • Transcription Factors
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Tumor Suppressor Proteins
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / therapy

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • MUC5AC protein, human
  • Mucin 5AC
  • Mucins
  • Phosphoproteins
  • TP63 protein, human
  • Trans-Activators
  • Transcription Factors
  • Tumor Suppressor Proteins
  • Keratins