Endometriosis is an important gynecologic disorder primarily affecting women during their reproductive years. Pathologically, it is the result of functional endometrium located outside the uterus. It may vary from microscopic endometriotic implants to large cysts (endometriomas). The physical manifestations are protean, with some patients being asymptomatic and others having disabling pelvic pain, infertility, or adnexal masses. Symptoms do not necessarily correlate with the severity of the disease. Ultrasonographic (US) features are variable and can mimic those of other benign and malignant ovarian lesions. Low-level internal echoes and echogenic wall foci are more specific US features for endometriomas. Magnetic resonance imaging improves diagnostic accuracy, with endometriotic cysts typically appearing with high signal intensity on T1-weighted images and demonstrating "shading" on T2-weighted images. The ovaries are the most common sites affected, but endometriosis can also involve the gastrointestinal tract, urinary tract, chest, and soft tissues. Small implants and adhesions are not well evaluated radiologically; therefore, laparoscopy remains the standard of reference for diagnosis and staging. Both medical and surgical treatment options are available depending on the patient's specific case.

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Mesonephric adenocarcinoma is a rare variant of cervical carcinoma with relatively few, well-documented cases reported. We describe the clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical features of 11 examples of this neoplasm, which occurred in women between the ages of 35 and 72 years (mean, 52 years). Most (64%) patients had abnormal vaginal bleeding. Eight tumors were stage IB, and one each was stage IIB and IVB; in one, the stage was unknown. Microscopically, the carcinomas showed various morphologies, most commonly a small tubular pattern or a ductal pattern resembling endometrioid adenocarcinoma; one tumor had an associated malignant spindle cell component. Ten neoplasms were adjacent to hyperplastic mesonephric remnants. Follow-up in 10 cases showed six patients to be alive without evidence of recurrence after a mean of 4.8 years. The patients with stage IIB and IVB disease had local recurrences after 2.2 and 0.7 years and died of progressive disease at 3.2 and 0.8 years, respectively. In a patient with stage IB disease, a mediastinal metastasis and a malignant pleural effusion developed 5.6 years after diagnosis, and the patient died of disease at 6.2 years. Another patient with stage IB disease and a positive vaginal cuff margin that recurred locally after 1.7 years received chemotherapy and was alive and clinically free of disease at 2.5 years. Mesonephric adenocarcinomas were immunoreactive for epithelial markers (AE1/3; CK1, CAM 5.2, cytokeratin 7, and epithelial membrane antigen) (100%), calretinin (88%), vimentin (70%), androgen receptor (33%), and inhibin (30%, focal staining). No immunostaining was detected with cytokeratin 20, estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and monoclonal carcinoembryonic antigen. This staining profile is similar to that of mesonephric remnants and may be useful in the distinction of mesonephric carcinoma from mullerian endometrioid adenocarcinoma, with which it may be confused.