A case of complete uterine prolapse complicated by cervical squamous cell carcinoma likely unrelated to HPV

Background: The coexistence of advanced uterine prolapse and progressive cervical cancer is extremely rare, with its onset mechanism unknown and treatment strategies yet to be established. Case: This article documents a case of clinical stage IIIC2r cervical squamous cell carcinoma combined with complete uterine prolapse classified as Pelvic Organ Prolapse-Quantification stage IV, which was left untreated for 20 years. Vaginal surgery was scheduled due to severe nocturnal pain caused by pelvic organ prolapse, resulting in a dramatic improvement in quality of life. Immunohistochemical staining of the pathological specimen revealed a patchy pattern for p16, indicating that the tumor was likely a human papillomavirus (HPV)-unrelated squamous cell carcinoma. HPV-unrelated squamous cell carcinoma is exceptionally rare, and it is suspected that prolonged external chronic irritation and inflammation caused by untreated pelvic organ prolapse may have contributed to the development of cervical cancer in this case. Conclusions: The pathogenesis of uterine prolapse complicated by cervical cancer is a unique condition, and its management requires tailored treatment strategies considering disease severity.

Uterine prolapse; Vaginal surgery; HPV-unrelated cervical cancer; Squamous cell carcinoma; p16 expression

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