A case of primary signet-ring cell carcinoma of the cervix containing full genome of human papillomavirus 16

Abstract

We herein present a case of primary signet-ring cell carcinoma of the cervix. Pelvic magnetic resonance imaging revealed a 38-mm cervical tumor, and computed tomography revealed no findings suggestive of distal metastasis or other tumor origins. Gastrointestinal endoscopy showed no abnormal findings. Histopathology revealed signet-ring cell-type mucinous adenocarcinoma. By immunohistochemistry, tumor cells were negative for the mammary neoplasm marker, gross cystic disease fluid protein 15 and gastrointestinal neoplasm markers, MUC2, MUC6, and CDX2, but positive for p16. These findings suggested human papillomavirus (HPV)-related adenocarcinoma of the cervix. HPV genotyping assays with exfoliated cervical cells and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues demonstrated HPV16 positivity, suggesting that the primary origin of the tumor was the cervix. The full HPV16 genome was amplified by polymerase chain reaction from exfoliated cervical cells, and the full-genome sequence was determined by next-generation sequencing. This is the first report of primary signet-ring cell carcinoma of the cervix containing the full HPV16 genome.

Keywords

• Adenocarcinoma
• cervical cancer
• human papillomavirus
• signet-ring cell