Mucoepidermoid carcinoma of uterine cervix stage IB. Long-term follow-up, histochemical and immunohistochemical study.

Twelve women with mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the cervix uteri were followed for 2-15 years after diagnosis. Three patients died within 14 months. All had lymph node metastases and/or vascular involvement and exhibited tumor invasion to a depth of 1.2-3.2 cm. Mucoepidermoid carcinoma is defined as a tumor with the appearance of squamous cell carcinoma without any glandular pattern and with demonstrable intracellular mucin. The mucin is best demonstrated by alcian blue and periodic acid-Schiff-diastase. In 265 cases of squamous cell carcinoma, stage IB, lymph node metastases were present in 14%. In the cases of mucoepidermoid carcinoma, the prevalence of nodal metastases was 33%. Because mucoepidermoid carcinomas appear to be more aggressive lesions than squamous cell carcinomas are, it may be advisable to stain all cervical squamous carcinomas for mucin if they demonstrate finely vacuolated cytoplasm and lack peripheral palisading. Immunohistochemical studies for carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), keratin, and epithelial membrane antigen were positive in all tumors to varying degrees. The detection of CEA may be of additional help in establishing a diagnosis.