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Ectopic decidua and metastatic squamous carcinoma: Presentation in a single pelvic lymph node
Author(s) -
Cobb Camilla J.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
journal of surgical oncology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.201
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1096-9098
pISSN - 0022-4790
DOI - 10.1002/jso.2930380215
Subject(s) - medicine , pathology , squamous carcinoma , cervix , decidua , lymph node , carcinoma , lymph , cancer , biology , pregnancy , fetus , placenta , genetics
Abstract The presence of ectopic decidua in pelvic lymph nodes from patients with squamous carcinoma of the cervix makes evaluation for metastatic disease difficult due to the light microscopic similarity between decidua and sheets of squamous epithelial cells. A patient is presented in whom decidualized endometriosis was intimately asssociated with metastatic moderately differentiated squamous carcinoma in a single pelvic lymph node. This phenomenon afforded an excellent opportunity to study the unique morphologic features that distinguish these two entities. A prior report of this kind was not found. In the absence of obvious squamous differentiation (i.e., intercellular bridges, dyskeratosis, and keratin “pearl” formation), as is frequently the case with squamous carcinoma of the cervix, the light microscopic features that are most useful in distinguishing squamous carcinoma from decidua include the presence of well‐defined nests of cohesive cells, nuclear hyperchromasia, and cellular pleomorphism.