Cytologic features • Scattered isolated large atypical cells, with irregular nuclear contours, vesicular chromatin, prominent nucleoli, scant or absent cytoplasm, mitosis, & apoptosis • Inflammatory cells in the background • No squamous or gladular lesions
Differential diagnosis • • Follicular cervicitis/chronic cervicitis Small cell squamous carcinoma Small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma Endometrial stromal sarcoma Malignant melanoma Adenocarcinoma, primary or metastatic Ewing sarcoma/PNET Hematologic malignancy
Cytokeratin (AE 1/AE 3) Leukocyte common antigen
Diagnosis Uterus, cervix, Pap smear: Malignant lymphoma
Uterus, endometrium, curettage
H&E CD 20 CD 3
Discussion • Less than 1% of extranodal lymphomas arise from gynecologic tract. 7~30% of secondary involvement. • 23~30% sensitivity of conventional Pap smear • More challenging on liquid preparations
Hyperchromatic cells with high N/C ratio on Pap smear 1. Long list of differential diagnosis benign/reactive, preneoplastic, and neoplastic process 2. Careful systematic evaluation of squamous and glandular elements as well as the background component 3. Correlation with clinical history and radiological findings