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General and Systemic Histopathology, C601&C602
     
    Slide 104: Colon with endometriosis 
     
     
    This is a fascinating condition. Little bits of benign endometrium, both glands and stroma, become "seeded" within the peritoneal cavity (and even skin around the umbilicus).  These implants grow and respond to the monthly hormonal cycles and can be quite symptomatic.  Would you consider this a metastasis of a benign condition? 

    See this slide with the virtual microscope.  

    In your slide you will see the implants within the muscle of the wall. Don't be fooled, these foci are benign. If this person were pregnant, or treated with progesterone, these implants would look very different, and could, under this hormonally stimulated condition, be mistakenly called malignant. However, they are still benign. There may be some pigment containing macrophages around the implants. These are iron containing cells, reflecting old areas of hemorrhage, consistent with the monthly cycle these implants go through, just like the rest of the endometrium.


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