Endocervical involvement by endometrial carcinoma on fractional curettage: a clinicopathological study of 37 cases

Abstract

This is a retrospective study of 37 patients with endometrial carcinoma and presence of tumor on endocervical curettage (clinical Stage II). We intended to correlate the presence or absence of endocervical stromal invasion with the clinical behavior and other prognostic factors. Based on the endocervical curettage, three categories (CAT) were defined: CAT I: tumor fragments only (seven cases); CAT II: endocervical tissue and free-floating tumor fragments (13 cases); and CAT III: endocervical tissue and tumor with evidence of stromal invasion (17 cases). Five tumors were partly of clear cell and/or papillary serous types and three of them belonged to CAT I. Six of seven tumors with a nuclear Grade 3 were in CAT III (p less than 0.05). Nine patients had local recurrence, metastases, or died of their disease (median follow-up: 56 mo) and seven of them were in the CAT III (p less than 0.05). We conclude that despite the presence of tumor on the endocervical curettage, the lack of endocervical tissue invasion is associated with a lower nuclear grade and a less aggressive behavior. These tumors should be regarded and treated as Stage I disease. Special attention must be paid to staging of clear cell and papillary serous adenocarcinomas because of the tendency for these tumors to contaminate the endocervical curettage.