Endometrial cancer presenting as acute urinary retention : a case report and review of the literature

Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecologic malignancy. Most women present with abnormal vaginal bleeding. Cervical stenosis can prevent early uterine bleeding leading to delayed diagnosis of the disease. A 67 years old Caucasian woman presented with three days history of right flank pain and difficulty in urination. Her medical history included cervical cautery due to ectropion 15 years previously. In physical exam a huge cystic mass that proved to be a large hematocervix was bulging in the vagina. Computed tomography of the abdomen revealed a distended cervix adjacent to distended urinary bladder secondary to endometrial cancer. To our knowledge this is the first case report describing acute urinary retention secondary to hematocervix. Cervical stenosis is common in elderly postmenopausal women and can prevent early manifestation of endometrial pathology and can be associated with local complications.