title: Fine needle aspiration cytology of the Ewing's sarcoma family of tumors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the cytomorphologic features of the Ewing's sarcoma (ES) family of tumors.
  
  
  METHODS
  During a period of eight years (1990-1997), 123 soft tissue tumors and 65 bone tumors were evaluated by fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC); 14 cases were diagnosed as in the ES family of tumors. The ages of the patients ranged from 8 to 30 years. All the cases were histologically confirmed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 14 cases of the ES family of tumors, 7 were ES, 3 extraosseous ES (EOE), 2 peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PPNET) and 2 Askin tumor. Cytologically, smears from all the cases showed round tumor cells with a high nuclear/cytoplasmic ratio. On detailed examination, subtle differentiating features were observed. The cells in ES had finer nuclear chromatin in comparison to those of PPNET and Askin tumor, and punched-out clear cytoplasmic vacuoles were present. PPNET showed nuclear molding, unipolar cytoplasmic tags and Homer-Wright rosettes. Histologically, all cases of ES and EOE and one case of Askin tumor showed periodic acid-Schiff-positive inclusions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  FNAC features coupled with clinical findings enable a rapid diagnosis of the ES family of tumors, from which treatment modalities can be determined.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, Karnataka, South India.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sahu
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Pai
authors.forename: U N
authors.initials: UN
authors.lastname: Khadilkar
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D002648:Child; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D018241:Neuroectodermal Tumors, Primitive, Peripheral / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D012512:Sarcoma, Ewing / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*