Final answer:
Minimal deviation adenocarcinoma of the cervix is a well-differentiated tumor that resembles normal cells of the cervix but with subtle malignant features. It is not as aggressive as high-grade lesions and represents an early form of cervical cancer that maintains much of the normal cellular architecture. HPV infection is associated with abnormal changes in cervical cells, detectable by a Pap smear.
Step-by-step explanation:
Minimal deviation adenocarcinoma of the cervix is a rare type of cervical cancer characterized by a high degree of organization among different types of cells in the tissue of the cervix. It resembles normal endocervical glands but possesses subtle malignant features. Unlike other aggressive adenocarcinomas, minimal deviation adenocarcinoma is considered a well-differentiated tumor. This indicates that the cancer cells still maintain a similar structure to normal cells and have not acquired the significant abnormalities seen in higher-grade lesions like a High-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) or an aggressive adenocarcinoma which would show enlarged nuclei and hyperchromasia. It is also not categorized as a Low-grade glandular lesion.
Regarding the progression of cervical cancer, a sequence is seen ranging from pre-malignant changes to invasive cancer. In the pre-malignancy phase, cervical lesions such as atypia, dysplasia, and carcinoma in situ exhibit the potential to progress to cancer but have not yet invaded surrounding tissues. In contrast, an invasive tumor has breached the basement membrane and infiltrated the surrounding cervical tissue, which would be readily apparent upon microscopic examination comparing normal to cancerous cervical tissue architecture.
Assessment of cervical cells using a Pap smear can reveal the presence of human papillomavirus (HPV), a known contributor to cervical cancer development. HPV-infected cells typically manifest changes such as increased cell size and, often noted, nuclear abnormalities like having more than one nucleus, which are indicative of viral infection.