Adequacy of conization margins in adenocarcinoma in situ of the cervix as a predictor of residual disease.

In this retrospective analysis, 18 patients with adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS) of the cervix diagnosed on cervical conization between April 1988 and June 1994 were identified. The margins of all specimens were assessed for disease involvement. If hysterectomy or repeat conization was performed, the presence of AIS in the specimen was ascertained. Eleven of 18 conizations (61%) had AIS with negative margins of resection. Two of these 11 patients (18%) were followed conservatively and have had negative Pap smears for a mean of 1.7 years. The remaining 9 patients (82%) were treated by hysterectomy, with 4 (44%) showing residual AIS in the final surgical specimen. Six of the 18 conizations (33%) had positive margins for AIS. Five of these patients (83%) were treated with hysterectomy and one patient was treated with a repeat conization. Three of the five hysterectomy specimens as well as the repeat conization specimen (67%) contained residual AIS. One conization (6%) had margins that could not be assessed. The absence of residual AIS in the final surgical specimen was not predicted by the negative margin status on the conization.