Squamous carcinoma of the body of the uterus

A case of primary squamous carcinoma of the body of the uterus in an 83 year old patient is reported. It is believed to be only the fourteenth adequately substantiated example. This condition apparently occurs at a average age of 5 or more years greater than that at which adenocarcinoma of the endometrium occurs. Our patient may have had generalized squamous metaplasia of the uterine surface epithelium preceding development of this tumour, but the aetiologh of the squamous metaplasia in this case is not clear. One possible factor was her menopause by irradiation 35 years before the tumour developed; an association between irradiation and uterine malignancy is reported but the significance of that association is not certain.