pathology
Last reviewed 01/2018
- 75% are squamous cell carcinoma - usually arising from the squamo-columnar junction
- 20-25% are adenocarcinoma - arising from endocervical glands in the endocervical mucosa - or mixed adenosquamous carcinoma
- less than 1% are due to melanoma, sarcoma, lymphoma
The time sequence from pre-invasive cervical carcinoma to invasive cervical carcinoma is difficult to estimate. An approximate sequence would be:
- 20 years from CIN to invasive carcinoma
- 10 years from microinvasive to invasive carcinoma
However, recent studies suggest that this sequence of events is becoming more rapid.
Untreated, it is estimated that about 20-30% of patients with CIN3 would eventually develop invasive carcinoma.