title: Clear cell (glycogen-rich) rhabdomyosarcoma presenting as cervical lymphadenopathy.
abstract: A 15-year-old patient is described who presented with cervical lymphadenopathy. A lymph node biopsy confirmed a metastatic neoplasm composed of islands and aggregates of round to polygonal-shaped cells with surrounding hyalinised fibrous stroma. The tumour cells contained a clear glycogen-rich cytoplasm and stained for desmin, muscle-specific actin and sarcomeric actin. Electron microscopy revealed paranuclear thick and thin filaments. These findings confirm striated muscle differentiation and a diagnosis of glycogen-rich clear cell rhabdomyosarcoma. The tumour recurred in a cervical lymph node after 2 years. This is yet another tumour that must be considered in the differential diagnosis of clear cell tumours of the head and neck region.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Natal Medical School, Durban, South Africa. govendh@med.und.ac.za
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Govender
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chetty
mesh_terms: D008841:Actin Cytoskeleton / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000199:Actins / Q000032:analysis; D000293:Adolescent; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003893:Desmin / Q000032:analysis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006003:Glycogen / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008206:Lymphatic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009333:Neck; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000473:pathology; D009382:Neoplasms, Unknown Primary / Q000473:pathology*; D012208:Rhabdomyosarcoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary*
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D003893:Desmin; D006003:Glycogen