Endometrial squamous cell carcinoma originating from the cervix: A case report

BACKGROUND Cervical squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the most common type of cervical carcinoma and is generally derived from a precancerous stage called cervical high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL). Usually, the cancer metastasizes through lymphatic or hematogenous dissemination, but rarely spreads upward into the uterus. Here, we report a case of cervical HSIL extending into the endometrium and finally progressing to SCC in the uterine cavity. CASE SUMMARY A 57-year-old postmenopausal woman visited our department and requested a routine cervical check-up. Four years ago, she had undergone a cervical loop electrosurgical excision procedure because of HSIL found during the gynecological examination, and she had not been checked again since. This time, a relapse of the cervical HSIL was diagnosed along with uterine pyometra and endometrial polyps. After 2 wk of antibiotic treatment, a laparoscopic hysterectomy was performed, and the final pathological examination revealed that the cervical HSIL had spread directly upward into the uterine cavity, gradually developing into cervical SCC in the endometrium. CONCLUSION Cervical HSIL/SCC can directly spread upward into the uterus with the most common symptoms of pyometra and cervical stenosis. More attention should be given to the early detection and prevention of this disease.