Neuroendocrine or argyrophil cell carinoma of the cervix has recently been accepted as a distinct clinical-pathological entity. The histologic pattern of these carcinomas is usually poorly differentiated or undifferentiated. Twenty patients with a histologic diagnosis of small cell carcinoma, undifferentiated carcinoma, poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma, or poorly differentiated, adenosquamous carcinoma of the cervix were evaluated for neuroendocrine features. The results of studies to detect neurosecretory granules were positive in seven of the 20 cases. Not only small cell carcinomas, but also tumors classified as undifferentiated carcinoma and poorly differentiated, adenosquamous carcinoma contained cytoplasmic granules consistent with neuroendocrine carcinoma of the cervix. The prognosis for survival appears poorer for patients having tumors with neurosecretory granules after controlling for stage and histologic grade of the neoplasm.
Cancer 60:2325-2330,1987.
N THE PAST 10 YEARS a number of studies have re-I ported on a limited group of cervical tumors believed to have certain neuroendocrine features. Most of these reports describe the results of applying electron microscopy and special staining procedures to cervical carcinomas of the small cell type.'-8 These procedures are used in order to reveal intracytoplasmic, neurosecretory granules characteristic of neuroendocrine carcinomas.
Although most reported cases are of the small cell type as determined by light microscopy, the true incidence of neuroendocrine carcinoma even among small cell carcinomas of the cervix remains undetermined. Evidence also exists for expanding the scope of neuroendocrine carcinoma of the cervix and other organ systems beyond tumors of the small cell type. Recent studies of gastric, colonic, and pulmonary carcinomas classified by light microscopy as undifferentiated have demonstrated neuroendocrine features in those entities when analyzed biochemically and by electron microscope.' Thus, the histologic diagnosis compatible with neuroendocrine carcinoma in various organ systems