Tumors of the uterine cervix can either be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). There are certain tumors that are classified as atypical (uncertain or unspecified behavior) meaning that some behave in a benign manner, or some behave in a malignant manner. A majority of the cervical tumors diagnosed via lab studies (biopsy) are benign.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is an authoritative body that compiles, prepares, and publishes histological and molecular classification of tumors, via their Blue Books, based on research inputs from experts worldwide. These reference books chiefly aid in global cancer research, provide gold standards for tumor diagnosis, and help in treating cancer patients.

According to the WHO Classification of Female Genital Tumors (2020), 5th Ed., Vol. 4, benign and malignant tumors of the uterine cervix are classified in the following manner:

Tumors of the uterine cervix:

• Tumors of the uterine cervix

Squamous epithelial tumors

• Mimics of squamous precursor lesions
  • Squamous metaplasia: It is a common, benign condition in which the glandular epithelium of the cervix changes into squamous epithelium. It is a physiological condition that can affect girls and women
  • Atrophy of the uterine cervix
• Squamous cell tumors and precursors
  • Condyloma acuminatum: It is one of the most commonly transmitted sexual infections caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV). It manifests as a benign wart on the cervix, and commonly occurs in sexually-active females
  • Squamous intraepithelial lesions of the uterine cervix
  • Squamous cell carcinoma, HPV-associated, of the uterine cervix: It is a type of cervical cancer that develops in the background of HPV-related infections. The condition may affect women of a wide age range
  • Squamous cell carcinoma, HPV-independent, of the uterine cervix: It is a type of cervical cancer that develops in the background of HPV-related infections. The condition may affect older women
  • Squamous cell carcinoma NOS of the uterine cervix: A vast majority of cancers arising from the cervix are squamous cell carcinomas. It usually occurs in women aged between 45 and 55

Glandular tumors and precursors

• Benign glandular lesions
  • Endocervical polyp: It is a common benign tumor of the uterine endocervix, found mostly in middle-aged and older women
  • Mullerian papilloma of the uterine cervix: It is a rare benign tumor of the cervix. A vast majority of the tumors are found in young girls (children)
  • Nabothian cyst: It is a benign, mucus-filled cyst that is present on the cervical wall. It is common tumor found mostly in middle-aged and older women, typically with multiple pregnancies
  • Tunnel clusters: It may be described as benign and abnormal collection of endocervical glands on the cervical walls. The condition is commonly noted in middle-aged and older women
  • Microglandular hyperplasia: It is a benign condition that occurs due to an abnormal increase of endocervical glands within the cervix. The condition is most common in women aged between 20 and 35
  • Lobular endocervical glandular hyperplasia: It is a benign condition that is characterized by an abnormal increase of glands within the cervix. It is generally observed in young adult women
  • Diffuse laminar endocervical hyperplasia: It is a benign condition that occurs due to an abnormal increase of endocervical glands within the cervix. It is mostly diagnosed in premenopausal women
  • Mesonephric remnants and hyperplasia: It refers to a benign and abnormal growth of mesonephric duct remnants within the cervix. The condition is generally observed in adult women
  • Arias-Stella reaction of the uterine cervix: It is a benign tumor-like condition caused due to changes in the cervix. The condition is a normal physiological process of the body, caused by hormonal response. It is mostly observed in pregnant women
  • Endocervicosis of the uterine cervix
  • Tuboendometrioid metaplasia
  • Ectopic prostate tissue
• Adenocarcinomas: Adenocarcinomas arise from the glandular cells of the inner portion of the cervix. After cervical squamous cell carcinomas, Cervical Adenocarcinomas are the second most common type of cervical cancers. Adenocarcinomas of Cervix, NOS are usually observed in young and middle-aged women
  • Adenocarcinoma in situ, HPV-associated, of the uterine cervix: It is a premalignant condition and a precursor to cervical cancer. The condition is associated with HPV-related infections and generally affects younger women
  • Adenocarcinoma, HPV-associated, of the uterine cervix: It is a type of cervical cancer that develops in the background of HPV-related infections. The condition may affect younger women
  • Adenocarcinoma in situ, HPV-independent, of the uterine cervix: It is a premalignant condition and a precursor to cervical cancer. The condition is not associated with HPV-related infections and may affect women of a wide age range
  • Adenocarcinoma, HPV-independent, gastric type, of the uterine cervix: It is an aggressive type of cervical cancer that is not associated with HPV-related infections. The condition may affect women of a wide age range
  • Adenocarcinoma, HPV-independent, clear cell type, of the uterine cervix: It is a type of cervical cancer that is not associated with HPV-related infections. The condition may affect women of a wide age range
  • Adenocarcinoma, HPV-independent, mesonephric type, of the uterine cervix: It is a type of cervical cancer that is not associated with HPV-related infections. The condition may affect middle-aged and slightly older women
  • Other adenocarcinomas of the uterine cervix

Other epithelial tumors

• Carcinosarcoma of the uterine cervix: It is a rare malignancy arising in the cervix. It is generally observed in women following menopause
• Adenosquamous carcinoma of the uterine cervix: It is a rare form of cervical cancer having malignant squamous cells and glandular cells. It is mostly seen in adult women
• Mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the uterine cervix: It is a rare variant of adenosquamous carcinoma. It is mostly seen in young adult women
• Adenoid basal carcinoma of the uterine cervix: It is a rare form of cervical cancer that is mostly observed in postmenopausal status adult women
• Carcinoma of the uterine cervix, unclassifiable

Mixed epithelial and mesenchymal tumors

• Mixed epithelial and mesenchymal tumors
  • Adenomyoma of the uterine cervix: It is a benign tumor is mostly found in middle-aged women, who frequently have medical issues related to menstruation
  • Adenosarcoma of the uterine cervix: It is a rare, low-grade cancer commonly affecting middle-aged women following menopause

Germ cell tumors

• Germ cell tumors of the uterine cervix

Additional uterine cervix tumor articles (on DoveMed) that are not part of WHO Classification of Female Genital Tumors:

Adenocarcinoma In Situ of Cervix: It is a small-sized, premalignant adenocarcinoma that is observed in the uterine cervix. The condition typically affects adult women.

Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma of Uterine Cervix: It is a rare form of cervical cancer that is mostly observed in postmenopausal women.

Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma of Uterine Cervix: It is an uncommon histological subtype of rhabdomyosarcoma of cervix. It is an aggressive malignancy that may affect adolescent girls and young adult women.

Alveolar Soft Part Sarcoma of Uterine Cervix: It is an extremely infrequent, but highly malignant soft tissue tumor observed in girls, young adults, and slightly older adult women.

Angiomyofibroblastoma of Uterine Cervix: It is a rare, benign tumor of the soft tissues that occurs in the uterine cervix of young and middle-aged women.

Angiomyolipoma of Uterine Cervix: It is an extremely uncommon extrarenal angiomyolipoma that may be present in adult women. An angiomyolipoma is a benign tumor that is a mixture of blood vessels, smooth muscles, and fat.

Angiosarcoma of Uterine Cervix: It is an infrequent, aggressive, and often rapidly-developing tumor, without signs and symptoms in the early stages. These tumors are usually seen in adult women.

Arias-Stella Reaction of Uterine Cervix in Normal Pregnancy: It is a benign tumor-like condition caused due to changes in the cervix. The condition is a normal physiological process of the body, caused by hormonal response. It is mostly observed in pregnant women.

Basaloid Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Cervix: It is a histological variant of cervical squamous cell carcinoma that usually occurs in women between 45 and 55 years’ old.

Benign Cervical Polyps: These are common tumors of the uterine cervix, observed mostly in middle-aged and older women. They may be of two types depending on the location of the polyp - endocervical or ectocervical.

Benign Ectocervical Polyp: It is a benign tumor of the uterine ectocervix, which is found mostly in middle-aged and older women.

Blue Nevus of Uterine Cervix: It is a benign lesion that is composed of spindle pigmented cells. In most cases, it is an incidental finding following a hysterectomy procedure. A blue nevus is a benign condition that may be present at birth or form at any age in an individual

Cervical Cancer: It the second most common cancer in women worldwide. The malignancy involves the uterine cervix.

Clear Cell Carcinoma of Cervix: It is a rare histological variant of cervical adenocarcinoma that usually occur in young and middle-aged women.

Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma of Cervix: It is a rare, B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma that affects middle-aged women. It is the most common subtype of lymphoma of cervix.

Embryonal Rhabdomyosarcoma of Uterine Cervix: It is a common histological subtype of rhabdomyosarcoma of cervix. It is a rare and invasive tumor that is mostly seen in adolescent girls and young adult women.

Endocervical Adenocarcinoma, Usual Type: It is the most common histological variant of cervical adenocarcinoma that usually occurs in young and middle-aged women.

Endometrioid Carcinoma of Cervix: It is a rare histological variant of cervical adenocarcinoma. The tumor usually occurs in young and middle-aged women.

Follicular Lymphoma of Cervix: It is a rare subtype of B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. It is a slow-growing lymphoma that generally affects middle-aged women.

Glassy Cell Carcinoma of Uterine Cervix: It is a rare, poorly-differentiated variant of adenosquamous carcinoma that is mostly seen in young adult women.

Keratinizing Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Cervix: It is a rare histological variant of cervical squamous cell carcinoma. It is usually seen in women between 45 and 55 years’ old.

Leiomyoma of Uterine Cervix: It is a very uncommon, benign mass that is present in the cervix. The tumor may be found in young, middle-aged, and older women.

Leiomyosarcoma of Uterine Cervix: It is a common subtype of cervical sarcoma found in middle-aged women. Leiomyosarcoma is a rare type of connective tissue cancer.

Lipoleiomyoma of Uterine Cervix: It is an uncommon morphological variant of cervical leiomyoma. A lipoleiomyoma is the lipomatous variant of a leiomyoma (a benign smooth muscle tumor). It may be found in adult women

Lipoma of Uterine Cervix: It is an extremely rare and benign tumor of fat tissues occurring in the cervix. It is typically seen in postmenopausal women.

Liposarcoma of Uterine Cervix: It is an extremely rare type of carcinoma of cervix affecting middle-aged and older women. A liposarcoma is generally asymptomatic and can occur anywhere in the body.

Lymphoepithelioma-Like Carcinoma (LELC) of Uterine Cervix: It is a rare histological variant of cervical squamous cell carcinoma that usually occurs in women between 45 and 55.

Lymphoma of Cervix: It is an uncommon lymphoma that is mostly observed in middle-aged women.

Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumor of Uterine Cervix: It is an extremely rare type of soft tissue sarcoma (malignant tumor) that is observed in women.

MALT Lymphoma of Cervix: It is a rare non-gastric type of extranodal marginal zone lymphoma that is generally noted in older women. It is also known as Marginal Zone Lymphoma of Cervix.

Mesonephric Carcinoma of Cervix: It is a very rare histological variant of cervical adenocarcinoma that usually occurs in middle-aged and slightly older women.

Mucinous Carcinoma of Cervix, Gastric Type: It is an uncommon histological variant of cervical cancer that usually occurs in young and middle-aged women.

Mucinous Carcinoma of Cervix, Intestinal Type: It is a histological variant of cervical adenocarcinoma that usually occurs in young and middle-aged women.

Mucinous Carcinoma of Cervix, NOS: It is an uncommon histological variant of cervical cancer that usually occurs in young and middle-aged women.

Mucinous Carcinoma of Cervix, Signet-Ring Cell Type: It is a rare histological variant of cervical adenocarcinoma that usually occurs in young and middle-aged women.

Non-Keratinizing Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Cervix: It is a rare histological variant of cervical squamous cell carcinoma. It is usually seen in women between 45 and 55 years’ old

Papillary Squamotransitional Carcinoma of Cervix: It is a rare histological variant of cervical squamous cell carcinoma that occurs in a wide age range of women.

Papillary Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Cervix: It is a rare histological variant of cervical squamous cell carcinoma that usually occurs in women between 45 and 55 years’ old.

Pleomorphic Rhabdomyosarcoma of Uterine Cervix: It is a common histological subtype of cervical rhabdomyosarcoma that is typically seen in postmenopausal women. It is a highly-aggressive tumor type compared to the other subtypes.

Plexiform Neurofibroma of Uterine Cervix: It is a very rare, benign tumor that is observed in the cervix. The tumor is usually observed in middle-aged women.

Postoperative Spindle-Cell Nodule of Uterine Cervix: It is a very rare and benign tumor that forms due to an injury (tissue damage); particularly because of a surgical procedure involving the female genital tract. It is generally observed in young and middle-aged women.

Primary Schwannoma of Uterine Cervix: It is a very uncommon tumor that generally forms in the uterine cervix of adult women.

Rhabdomyoma of Uterine Cervix: It is an infrequent benign tumor of the connective tissues, showing mature skeletal muscle differentiation (meaning that it resembles skeletal muscle tissue). It is observed in young and middle-aged women.

Rhabdomyosarcoma of Uterine Cervix: It is a very uncommon, high-grade malignant tumor of the uterine cervix. Adolescent girls and young adult women may be affected.

Serous Carcinoma of Cervix: It is an exceedingly rare histological variant of cervical adenocarcinoma. It usually occurs in young and middle-aged women.

Solitary Fibrous Tumor of Cervix: It is a mostly benign overgrowth arising from the mesenchymal tissue. It may be present in women between 20 and 70 years of age.

Spindle Cell Lipoma (SCL) of Uterine Cervix: It is a benign, subcutaneous tumor of fat (fat cells and spindle cells) that is observed in the uterine cervix. Rare tumor may be found in adult women

Squamous Papilloma of Uterine Cervix: It is a rare and benign tumor of the cervix. It is generally observed in teenagers and young adult women.

Transitional Metaplasia of Uterine Cervix: It is an uncommon benign condition, wherein there is formation of transitional epithelium in the transformation zone of the cervix. The condition affects women around or following their menopause.

Undifferentiated Carcinoma of Uterine Cervix: It is an extremely rare and aggressive subtype of cervical cancer. It can be seen in women of a wide age group.

Verrucous Carcinoma of Cervix: It is a rare histological variant of cervical squamous cell carcinoma that usually occurs in middle-aged women.

Villoglandular Carcinoma of Cervix: It is the most common histological variant of cervical adenocarcinoma that occurs in slightly younger women.

Warty (Condylomatous) Carcinoma of Cervix: It is a rare histological variant of cervical squamous cell carcinoma. It usually develops in postmenopausal women.