Desquamation of malignant cells in carcinoma of the uterine cervix: Its role in prognosis

Abstract

Percentage of malignant cell exfoliation in relation to that of benign epithelial cells was studied in pretreatment vaginal smears of 251 patients of squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix. The rate of exfoliation did not increase with increasing clinical severity. Also, the various cell types of squamous cell carcinoma and clinical radiation response were independent of number of malignant cells shed in the vagina. However, the group of patients having a fewer number of malignant cells in their vaginal smears had a statistically significantly better five‐year survival. Copyright © 1982 Wiley‐Liss, Inc., A Wiley Company