Morphogenesis of Uterine Cervical Carcinoma

Abstract We conducted a study on the morphogenesis of carcinoma in the cervix uteri from various angles, and drew the following conclusions. Most of the epithelial changes in the cervix commonly called dysplasia and carcinoma in situ should not be defined as authentic cancers. They are, however, different from mere benign changes and should be considered precancerous changes. It is most probable that carcinoma of the cervix develops in a “biphasic” or “polyphasic” manner, preceded by these changes. It is not, however, necessarily justified to state that all cervical carcinomas develop through this same carcinogenic process, but it is probable that they develop through a “monophasic” process without passing through the “stage” of dysplasia or carcinoma in situ. In other words, it can be said that even if such cervical carcinoma may present similar tissue patterns, their carcinogenic process may vary considerably. Almost all carcinomas of the cervix, except for adenocarcinomas, originate in the squamo‐columnar junction, and they then initially spread into the region of the columnar epithelium. Histogenetically, even squamous cell carcinomas are very likely to originate in the “reserve cells”, but the possibility of canceration in the regenerating squamous epithelium cannot be totally denied.