A case of lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma in the uterine cervix

Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma occurring in the reproductive organs is a rare variant of squamous cell carcinoma, and this tumor of the uterine cervix accounts for 0.7% of all primary cervical uterine neoplasms. Associations with Epstein Barr virus (EBV) and human papilloma virus (HPV) have been demonstrated in some studies. Some investigators suggested that EBV has an important role in the initiation of lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma in Asian women. Here we report the case of a 45 year old Japanese woman, gravida 2 and parity 2. She was admitted due to severe atypical genital bleeding caused by uterine cervical cancer. A >130 mm tumor was detected at the uterine cervix, and no distal metastasis or swallowing of lymph nodes was revealed by magnetic resonance imaging and a computed tomography scan. The cervical cancer stage FIGO 1b2 was diagnosed, and a radical hysterectomy was performed for this malignant tumor. The in situ hybridization for EBV was negative. HVP infection was strongly suspected because the squamous cell carcinoma was observed macroscopically, in the uterine cervix. The prognosis of uterine lymphoepithelioma like carcinoma is thought to be better than those of other cervical cancer types, but careful follow-up at fixed intervals is recommended. The patient has been followed up for 4 months since her surgery, and no evidence of recurrence has been detected.