Stage (Ia) cervical cancer recurring 13 years after hysterectomy and causing small intestinal perforation. A case report with a review of the literature

Abstract

A rare case of recurrent cervical cancer presenting multiple metastases to the small intestine is reported. A 69-year-old Japanese woman with a past history of early-stage (Ia) cervical cancer 13 years previously suffered sudden onset of panperitonitis caused by perforation of the small intestine. In the perforated lesion, squamous cell carcinoma, which was histologically similar to that of the primary lesion, was observed, and was diagnosed as a late recurrence of the cervical cancer. Perforation of the small intestine caused by tumor metastasis, especially metastasis from cervical cancer, rerely occurs. Furthermore, recurrence of an early cervical cancer presenting 13 years after hysterectomy is extremely rare. The present case draws attention to the possibility of late recurrence of cervical cancer, even in cases treated at the early-stage.