Rare Cervical Cancers

Cervical cancer remains a major global health problem, with squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma accounting for most cases. However, rare histological variants pose significant diagnostic and therapeutic challenges because of their distinct biological behavior and clinical outcomes. This review summarizes the epidemiological, clinical, gross, histopathological, immunohistochemical, therapeutic, and prognostic features of uncommon cervical malignancies. The reviewed entities include adenosquamous carcinoma, glassy cell carcinoma, clear cell adenocarcinoma, adenoid cystic carcinoma, adenoid basal carcinoma, villoglandular papillary adenocarcinoma, neuroendocrine carcinoma, cervical sarcomas, rhabdomyosarcoma, primary cervical lymphoma, verrucous carcinoma, primary cervical melanoma, cervical stump carcinoma, and metastatic carcinoma. These tumors vary considerably in aggressiveness, patterns of spread, prognosis, and treatment response. Accurate histopathological diagnosis, supported by appropriate immunohistochemistry, is essential for distinguishing rare lesions and guiding treatment. Management may include surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, chemoradiotherapy, or multimodal therapy according to histological subtype and stage. Continued research, multidisciplinary care, HPV prevention, screening, and early diagnosis are essential to improve outcomes. .