title: A case of monophasic synovial sarcoma presenting as a vulvar mass.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Synovial sarcoma is the fourth most commonly occurring sarcoma, accounting for 8-10% of all sarcomas. They arise from unknown pleuripotent stem cells that are capable of differentiating into mesenchymal and/or epithelial structures. Synovial sarcoma is characterized by specific chromosomal translocation t (X; 18)(p11, q11).
  
  
  METHODS
  We report the first case of monophasic synovial sarcoma arising in soft tissues of the vulva in a 33-year-old female. Complete excision of the mass was possible with tumor-free margins.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Only four previous cases of biphasic synovial sarcoma arising in the vulva have been reported. The finding of the SYT-SSX2 translocation is generally associated with a better prognosis, besides tumor negative margins after excision offer the possibility of a better outlook for this patient.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA. dambani@bcm.tmc.edu
authors.forename: Dipika S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Ambani
authors.forename: Beverly
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: Alan L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Kaplan
authors.forename: Ayala
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alberto
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013584:Sarcoma, Synovial / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D014846:Vulvar Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery