Open AccessCancerous and Precancerous States of the Cervix Uteri: A Histological and Histochemical Study
Author(s) -
Stenbäck F.,
Ojala A.,
Vehaskari A.
Publication year - 1970
Publication title -
acta obstetricia et gynecologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.401
H-Index - 102
eISSN - 1600-0412
pISSN - 0001-6349
DOI - 10.3109/00016347009157276
Subject(s) - cervix , medicine , pathology , malignancy , dysplasia , biopsy , carcinoma , carcinoma in situ , stromal cell , basal cell , immunohistochemistry , cancer
In the present study, a hundred unselected biopsy specimens from the cervix uteri were examined for the presence of 13 chemical substances and 27 specimens for that of 9 enzymes, in an effort to obtain some information on the histochemistry of dysplasia, carcinoma in situ and squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix, on the relationship between precancerous and cancerous lesions of the cervix, and on the usefulness of histochemical studies in clinical practice. A definite correlation was found between the histochemical changes, viz. decrease in the amount of glycogen and increase in the amount of ribonucleic acid and lactate dehydrogenase activity, and increasing malignancy. The histochemical changes reflected a disturbance in cell differentiation and keratinization, and in stromal reaction. It was concluded that histochemical methods are of value as supplementary tools in differentiating histologically doubtful lesions and in determining future treatment of the patient.