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Vulva

Malignant neoplasms

Bartholin’s gland carcinoma

Reviewers: Nat Pernick, M.D. (see Reviewers page)
Revised: 13 September 2012, last major update March 2003
Copyright: (c) 2002-2012, PathologyOutlines.com, Inc.

Definition

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● Usually HPV associated squamous cell carcinoma, but also adenocarcinoma, urothelial, small cell and adenoid cystic carcinoma

Epidemiology

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● In the vulva, less than 75 cases of adenoid cystic carcinoma have been reported.

Etiology

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● Adenoid cystic carcinomas arise in various sites, including the salivary glands, lacrimal glands, breast, lung and trachea

Clinical features

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● Adenoid cystic carcinoma: lymph node metastases are common

Case reports

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● 36 year old woman (Eur J Gynaecol Oncol 2009;30:686)

● 73 year old woman with vulvar mass (Case of Week #172).

Treatment

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● Wide local excision or vulvectomy, with or without nodal dissection

● Surgery may be debilitating and is associated with local recurrence and metastases (Arch Gynecol Obstet 2009;279:747, J Neurosurg 2005;102:543, Eur J Gynaecol Oncol 2009;30:317)

● Radiation or chemotherapy are surgical alternatives (Int J Gynecol Cancer 2007;17:661), but no widespread consensus on treatment (Gynecol Oncol 2006;100:422) 

Micro description (Histopathology)

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● Adenoid cystic carcinoma: cribriform patterns of cell nests and columns with bland cytologic features, surrounding gland-like spaces with eosinophilic material that is PAS+ diastase resistant (J Surg Oncol 1985;30:132); perineural and vascular invasion are common

Micro images
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Case of the Week #172: adenoid cystic carcinoma


c-kit / CD117

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● Adenoid cystic carcinoma: low molecular weight keratin, CEA,  S100 and type IV collagen (Arch Pathol Lab Med 2007;131:796); c-kit at other sites (Mod Pathol 2006;19:1351).

Additional references

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● Archives 1980;104:523 (adenocarcinoma)

End of Vulva > Malignant neoplasms > Bartholin’s gland carcinoma

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