Management of adenocarcinoma in situ, micro-invasive, and early stage adenocarcinoma of the cervix.

Abstract

The incidence of glandular neoplasms of the uterine cervix has been steadily increasing over the past two decades. Given the fact that these lesions are more difficult to diagnosis and are relatively infrequent, less is known about them compared with their squamous counterparts. In addition, because these lesions tend to arise in women of childbearing age, there is a particular need to understand whether the in-situ and early invasive forms of adenocarcinoma are amenable to conservative treatment measures that spare fertility like their squamous counterparts. Recent publications have addressed the underlying causes of the increasing incidence, the pros and cons of conservative management, and the difficulties in definitively identifying each glandular subtype. The most difficult diagnostic lesions are adenocarcinoma in situ cases and early invasive adenocarcinomas.