Pure alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma of the corpus uteri: description of a case with increased serum level of CA-125

Gynecol Oncol. 1997 Aug;66(2):320-3. doi: 10.1006/gyno.1997.4742.

Abstract

We report a morphological and immunohistochemical study of a case of pure alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma of the uterus in an 80-year-old woman. The diagnostic clues were the characteristic "alveolar" pattern of growth, the evidence of cross-striations in strap or elongated cells with abundant eosinophilic cytoplasms, the presence of multinucleated cells with peripherally placed "wreathlike" nuclei, and the expression of muscular antigens by the tumor cells. A thorough sampling of the tumor excluded areas of other types of heterologous or homologous sarcomas or the presence of coexisting adenoma or carcinoma. The other immunohistochemical data showed a high proliferative rate as well as a high rate of p53 overexpression in the small poorly differentiated rhabdomyoblasts. Interestingly, the large differentiated rhabdomyoblasts expressed CA-125, the antigenic determinant of nonmucinous epithelial ovarian tumors. The clinical course was very aggressive: the patient died 5 months after surgery because of disease progression. The pertinent literature is discussed.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • CA-125 Antigen / blood*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Rhabdomyosarcoma, Alveolar / blood*
  • Rhabdomyosarcoma, Alveolar / pathology*
  • Uterine Neoplasms / blood*
  • Uterine Neoplasms / pathology*

Substances

  • CA-125 Antigen