Invasive adenocarcinoma Smears from the more frequent endocervical adenocarcinoma show an exfoliation of malignant cells, isolated or in loosely cohesive groups and in syncytial tissue fragments. Acinar, papillary branching patterns may be seen. Cells are enlarged, round, cuboidal to columnar or spindle shaped. Nuclei are round, oval or oblong, central or eccentrical; size 8 to 25 microns or more. Chromatin is fine to coarsely granular with parachromatin clearing. Multiple micro or macronucleoli are seen. Cytoplasm is variable, pale, bubbly to dense, scant to abundant. A bloody background with cellular debris is generally noted. For more details about subtypes of primitive adenocarcinoma of endocervix see WHO (2003). Cytopathology atlas |