Endocervical adenocarcinoma implantation in episiotomy scar: a case report and  review of the literature

BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer is a rare malignancy in the 1st months of pregnancy. Implantation of this cancer in an episiotomy scar is a condition that is rarely reported. CASE PRESENTATION: We reviewed the literature on this condition and reported a 38 year-old Persian patient who had been diagnosed with cervical cancer, clinically stage IB1, 5 months after a term vaginal delivery. She underwent transabdominal radical hysterectomy with ovarian preservation. Two months later she presented with a mass-like lesion in the episiotomy scar which was proved to be of cervical adenocarcinoma origin after biopsy. The patient was scheduled for chemotherapy with interstitial brachytherapy, an alternative to wide local resection, with successful long-term disease-free survival. CONCLUSION: Implantation of adenocarcinoma in an episiotomy scar is a rare occurrence in patients with a history of cervical cancer and previous vaginal delivery near the time of diagnosis which requires extensive local excision as a primary treatment when feasible. The proximity of the lesion to the anus can lead to major complications of extensive surgery. Alternative chemoradiation combined with interstitial brachytherapy can be successful in eliminating cancer recurrence without compromising the functional outcome.