Clear cell adenocarcinoma or mesonephroma is a rare type of adenocarcinoma. It usually affects cells in the female genital tract. Vaginal clear cell adenoma is common in women in their late teens and early 20's whose mothers took diethylstilbestrol (DES) during pregnancy.[1]
Some of these cancers may not appear until 30's or 40's and the overall risk is 1 in 1000 who were exposed in utero to DES. The cells become vacuolated and filled with glycogen, hence the term 'clear cell'. The cancer may arise from the cervix or more frequently from the vaginal mucosa and possibly derives from vaginal adenosis. This cancer is insidious and slow growing but very difficult to treat so it is mandatory that women exposed to DES during pregnancy be checked regularly by their physician.
The tumour cells appear clear when viewed through a microscope, for this reason it is classified as a clear cell carcinoma.
References
- ^ Cancer risk in women exposed to diethylstilbestrol in utero. Hatch EE, Palmer JR, Titus-Ernstoff L, Noller KL, Kaufman RH, Mittendorf R, Robboy SJ, Hyer M, Cowan CM, Adam E, Colton T, Hartge P, Hoover RN. PMID: 9718055. JAMA. 1998 Aug 19;280(7):630-4.
External links
This article includes text from the U.S. National Cancer Institute's public domain Dictionary of Cancer Terms
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