[Adenoid cystic carcinoma (cylindroma) of the uterine cervix. Histology, immunohistochemistry, ultrastructure in a case, with review of the medical literature]

The authors report a case of adenoid cystic (cylindromatous) carcinoma of the endocervical canal associated with an intraepithelial squamous cell carcinoma of the cervical os in a 60-year-old woman suffering from metrorrhagia. Immunohistochemical study demonstrated labeling of cylindromatous cells with anti-actin, anti-vimentin and anti-keratin antibodies. Ultrastructural study provided significant findings to confirm that the hyaline material surrounded by tumor cells was derived from the remnants of the lamina densa of the basement membrane of tumor lobules. These morphological data are similar to those observed in adenoid cystic carcinomas (cylindromas) of salivary glands. They support the hypothesis that adenoid cystic carcinoma of the cervix may develop from the multipotent reserve cells.