Giant hamartomatous polyp of the uterine cervix with heterologous mesenchymal tissue in a child: a case report

Abstract

Polyps of the uterine cervix are one of the most common benign hyperplastic lesions occurring in the female genital tract that usually arise from the endocervical canal and are believed to be the result of reactive changes due to long-standing chronic inflammation, multiparty, and foreign bodies. Cervical polyps are usually small in size (less than 4 cm) that are commonly found in adult women; however, a few cases of giant polyps and the rare occurrence of these lesions in children have also been reported. Heterotopias and malignant transformation in cervical polyps are considered to be very rare. We present the case of a 10-year-old Afghan girl with a giant pedunculated mass protruding out of the uterine cervix that was accompanied by abdominal pain and mass sensation. The mass was completely excised by surgical intervention and the specimen was submitted for histopathological evaluation. Upon gross and microscopic examination, the characteristic findings of a hamartomatous polyp with heterologous mesenchymal tissue in the form of mature cartilage were seen. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of a giant (17.5 cm) hamartomatous polyp of the uterine cervix in this age group. Giant hamartomatous cervical polyps rarely occur in patients below 10 years of age. The majority of these lesions are benign; however, a few cases with malignant transformation are also reported, which demands elaborate investigations into the etiopathogenesis and nature of the lesions.