Local and Metastatic Relapses in a Young Woman with Papillary Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Uterine Cervix

Papillary squamous cell carcinoma (PSCC) is a rare histological type of cervical carcinoma whose biological behavior has not been fully established. A 33-year-old woman with an exophytic cervical mass underwent radical hysterectomy and bilateral pelvic lymph node dissection. Histological examination of the tumor revealed numerous papillary fronds lined by atypical stratified squamous cells, resembling high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions or urothelium. She was diagnosed with stage IB1 PSCC. Three months postoperatively, a 5.7 cm vaginal stump mass was detected. She received chemoradiotherapy, which helped her achieve a complete response. However, nine months postoperatively, she developed pelvic lymph node metastases. We present a rare case of recurrent cervical PSCC in a young woman. PSCC of the uterine cervix can recur rapidly within just a few months and become aggressive, as in the present case.