Diagnosis: Microglandular Hyperplasia
• Microglandular hyperplasia is a lesion most commonly seen in reproductive-age women. It is a reactive lesion of endocervical glands and must be differentiated from endocervical adenocarcinoma and well-differentiated endometrial adenocarcinoma.
• Pathologists need to be aware that p16 stains microglandular hyperplasia strongly, and it should not be assumed that this finding is related to human papillomavirus (HPV) infection.
• Uncommon histologic patterns of microglandular hyperplasia, such as solid sheets, hobnail cells, signet ring cells, and pseudoinfiltrative growth, can pose significant problems in the differential diagnosis.
• Oral contraceptive use and pregnancy are common clinical scenarios associated with microglandular hyperplasia.
• Although microglandular hyperplasia has been seen in postmenopausal women, endometrial carcinoma is more likely in this population. The diagnosis of microglandular hyperplasia should be made with caution in a postmenopausal patient.
