Prevalence of transvaginal ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in recent years has revealed a group of diseases characterized by multi-cystic lesions of the uterine cervix. In addition, interestingly, some of these diseases were shown to express gastric type mucins. However, precise diagnosis and proper treatment of these diseases are not fully established. In this presentation, our experience in the management of cervical cystic disorders is introduced.
Currently, four diseases are included in this group, i.e., minimal deviation adenocarcinoma (MDA, or adenoma malignum), gastric type mucinous carcinoma (GAS), lobular endocervical glandular hyperplasia (LEGH), and Nabothian cyst (NC). Although each disease has its own biochemical characteristics, histological/cytological findings and clinical symptoms of these diseases are often similar. Therefore, precise preoperative diagnosis has been difficult. To address this issue, we performed a retrospective, multicenter study for the preoperative diagnosis and treatment of multi-cystic disorders. Consequently, we found that the combination of MRI findings, gastric mucins, and cervical cytology was important for the preoperative diagnosis, and we proposed a flow chart for the management of these diseases based on the study (1). To further validate the usefulness of our management strategy, we performed a follow-up study of our institute, and confirmed the precision and adequacy of diagnosis and subsequent treatment (2). In addition, several molecular studies are demonstrated to deepen the understanding of histogenesis and genetic alterations of LEGH (3).
Collectively, precise understanding of biological properties of cervical cystic diseases, and proper interpretation of clinical examinations is necessary for the adequate management.