Co-existent carcinosarcoma and adenoid basal carcinoma of the uterine cervix and correlation with human papillomavirus infection

Abstract

A case of carcinosarcoma associated with an adenoid basal carcinoma of the uterine cervix in an 84-year-old woman is described. The tumor formed a pelvic mass, and total hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy was performed. The tumor was 17 cm in maximal dimension, arose in the posterior wall of the uterine cervix, and had a solid and cystic, focally myxoid sectioned surface. The tumor was composed of keratinizing squamous cell carcinoma and a mostly nonspecific sarcomatous component with focal chondrosarcomatous differentiation. Multiple foci of adenoid basal carcinoma were observed in the adjacent cervical wall. The HPV L1 gene was detected by PCR in each of the carcinomatous and sarcomatous components of the carcinosarcoma and the adenoid basal carcinoma. To our knowledge, this is the fifth case of coexisting carcinosarcoma and adenoid basal carcinoma of the uterine cervix in the English language literature.