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Abstract Nabothian cysts are common gynecological conditions in reproductive women. They are generally multiple, translucent or opaque, and whitish to yellow. Nabothian cysts usually occur at the transformation zone of the uterine cervix and are a few millimeters to 3–4 cm in diameter. It is a chronic inflammation of the cervix due to interstitial or epithelial squamous metaplasia, which obstructs the orifice of the gland, causing the endocervical glands to dilate cystically and the cervix to expand. The presence of multiple Nabothian cysts can be related to some pathological conditions, mostly as a consequence of an inflammatory reaction as chronic cervicitis due to microbial causes, such as Chlamydia, Streptococcus, and Staphylococcus and granulomatous diseases such as pulmonary tuberculosis. Nabothian cysts can grow in the cervix and are usually small and asymptomatic. Large and extensive cysts are located deeper in the cervix. The nabothian cyst tunnel cluster is observed as a result of multicystic dilatation of the endocervical glands. Nabothian cysts rarely cause any problems and need no treatment. However, if they are associated with chronic cervicitis (which is likely to cause blockage of ducts), they can be drained when cervicitis is treated. In cervical smear and biopsy samples, they are generally considered as benign structures. It is difficult to distinguish them from a minimal-deviation adenocarcinoma, which is classified as a special type of cervical adenocarcinoma. Nabothian cysts (also called mucinous retention cysts or epithelial cysts) are frequent at the squamocolumnar junction, an anatomical point of the cervix that is the target of brush sampling during cervical screening cytology. |