Uncommon variants of cervical carcinoma treated with radical irradiation: A clinicopathologic study of 66 cases

Abstract

Although certain histologic types are uncommon in cervical carcinoma, these tumors as a group comprise almost one in five patients. The present study throws some light on the therapeutic approaches that are appropriate. From 1968 through 1978, 396 patients with carcinoma of the cervix were treated primarily with radiation therapy, at the University of Virginia Medical Center. The treatment policy remained consistent throughout the study interval. Diagnostic pathologic material was reviewed and uniformly classified in 365 cases (92.2%). Over 80% were invasive keratinizing or nonkeratinizing squamous cell carcinoma. There were 66 patients with uncommon histologic types including 24 adenocarcinomas (6.6%), 13 adenosquamous carcinomas (3.6%), 10 small cell carcinomas (2.7%), 6 papillary squamous carcinomas (1.6%), 5 glassy cell carcinomas (1.4%), and 8 miscellaneous types (2.2%). These 66 patients form the basis for this report. Five-year survival rates and causes of failure are presented along with management recommendations.