Villoglandular adenocarcinoma of the cervix: A report of three cases and review of the literature

Villoglandular adenocarcinoma of the cervix is a distinct histologic type of cervical cancer. Fewer than 60 cases have been reported in the literature. Previous reports suggest that, due to the highly favorable prognosis of this rare histologic type of cervical cancer, conservative surgical therapy with cervical conization or extrafascial hysterectomy alone may be undertaken. In this series, three cases of villoglandular adenocarcinoma of the cervix are described. Preoperatively in each case, the cancer was confined to the cervix and histologic well-differentiated villoglandular adenocarcinoma of the cervix was confirmed. Extended hysterectomy was performed in all cases. In one case, residual invasive endocervical adenocarcinoma was noted. Careful review of the histologic characteristics of these tumors is needed when deciding if these patients can be managed with conservative therapy. (C) 1997 Academic Press.