Synovial sarcoma of the vulva: a report of two cases.
We report two cases of synovial sarcoma arising in the vulva. The patients were 30 and 37 years old and presented with a painless mass that was interpreted clinically as a cyst. The tumors were 2.0 and 1.2 cm in greatest diameter. Histologically, they were composed of epithelial cells forming solid nests and gland-like and papillary structures surrounded by spindle-shaped cells. Immunohistochemically, the epithelial cells stained for cytokeratin and the spindle-shaped cells for vimentin. Ultrastructurally, the epithelial cells had prominent intercellular junctions and narrow microvilli and were separated from the spindle-shaped cells by a basal lamina. The spindle-shaped cells were closely apposed with focal intercellular contacts. One tumor recurred locally 3.5 years after excision, but the patient was alive and well 1 year after a re-excision and radiation therapy. The other patient was alive and well 4 years after an excision. These tumors are the first reported examples of synovial sarcoma arising in the vulva.
Department of Pathology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
G P
GP
Nielsen
P A
PA
Shaw
A E
AE
Rosenberg
G R
GR
Dickersin
R H
RH
Young
R E
RE
Scully
D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004848:Epithelium / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007633:Keratins / Q000032:analysis; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D013584:Sarcoma, Synovial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D014746:Vimentin / Q000032:analysis; D014846:Vulvar Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery
D014746:Vimentin; D007633:Keratins