Lymphoepithelioma‑like carcinoma of the uterine cervix: A case report with cytological findings

Uterine cervical lymphoepithelioma‑like carcinoma (LELC) is a rare type of cervical squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). The present study describes a case of cervical LELC, including the cytological findings. A Japanese woman in her 40s was diagnosed with a high‑grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL), suspected cytologically. The patient had previously tested positive for high‑risk human papillomavirus (HPV). The cervical biopsy revealed findings that were indicative of HSIL/cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN)2‑3, and the patient was then referred to Tokyo Women's Medical University Hospital (Tokyo, Japan). A cervical cytological examination showed HSIL, and the presurgical cervical histological diagnosis was non‑keratinizing SCC. Cervical conization was performed and the histopathological diagnosis was LELC. A cervical cytological specimen showed atypical cells with indistinct borders, enlarged round nuclei and a high nucleocytoplasmic ratio. Some cells had prominent nucleoli, and the tumor cells were intermingled with abundant neutrophils and lymphocytes. In addition, atypical squamous cells with orange G‑philic cytoplasm and CIN‑like atypical cells were observed, as well as clumps of atypical cells with thickened cytoplasm and a metaplastic appearance. The mechanism underlying the contributions of Epstein‑Barr virus and/or HPV to the development of LELC is a topic for future investigation.