Smear cytological features of large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the uterine cervix in pregnancy: A case report and review of the literature.

Large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) of the uterine cervix is a rare aggressive tumor. The examination of a cervicovaginal smear from a 31-year-old patient diagnosed with LCNEC after a cervical polypectomy during the 32nd week of pregnancy was carried out. The observed atypical cells had large cytoplasm, increased nucleus: cytoplasm ratio with the nucleus containing coarse, dispersed chromatin, and were arranged in a pseudorosette formation, which all confirmed the diagnosis. In addition, adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS) was determined in the histopathological examination of the subsequent hysterectomy material. Given the rarity of this condition, we present and discuss the case herein.

Accuracy of intra-operative frozen section in the diagnosis of ovarian tumours.

OBJECTIVES: To compare frozen-section results with definitive histopathological results of ovarian tumours diagnosed intra operatively at the Zonguldak Maternity Hospital, Zonguldak, Turkey. METHODS: The definitive histopathological results of 278 patients who underwent surgery between January 2002 and December 2008 for ovarian masses and on whom frozen sectioning was performed were evaluated retrospectively. After exclusion of 12 patients for whom a definitive result could not be obtained from frozen sections, the results of 266 patients' frozen sections were compared with those from permanent sections. RESULTS: Data of 266 patients was analyzed. The results of frozen sections were 235 (88.3%) benign, 11 (4.2%) borderline and 20 (7.5%) malignant. The sensitivity was 100% for the benign tumours, 77.8% for the borderline tumours and 71.4% for the malignant tumours. The specificity of frozen section was 83.8%, 98.4% and 100% for the benign, borderline and malignant tumours, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Frozen sections have adequate sensitivity and specificity at the Zonguldak Maternity Hospital, Turkey, and can be safely used to guide the intraoperative management of ovarian masses. False-positive and -negative ratios are low.