How does adenocarcinoma of the cervix differ from squamous cell in terms of diagnosis, treatment and prognosis?
Joseph L. Kelley, MD: Thank you for allowing me to answer the question for EyesOnThePrize.org. My answer is as follows: In the past decades, the frequency of squamous carcinoma of the cervix has fallen, whereas the opposite is true for adenocarcinoma of the cervix. The cause of adenocarcinoma may be very similar to that observed for squamous carcinoma. Specifically, exposure to the human papillomavirus and a number of cofactors such as cigarette smoking and compromised immune status may make this disease more evident. Currently it accounts for roughly 30% of all cervical cancers that are diagnosed in the United States. Adenocarcinoma of the cervix can exist in several forms, including an in situ variety (non-invasive), a microinvasive, as well as a frankly invasive malignancy. The first two entities are very similar to squamous lesions and are considered precursors to invasive adenocarcinoma. Available information suggests that both entities can be treated comparably by means of local
