Esophageal rhabdomyosarcoma: report of a case diagnosed by imprint cytology.
BACKGROUND
Primary esophageal rhabdomyosarcoma (PER) is a very rare neoplasm with only 15 cases reported in the literature. Of those, only 1 case underwent a preoperative cytologic evaluation. We report a case of PER with diagnosis by imprint cytology.


METHODS
A 55-year-old woman presented with dysphagia of 2 months' duration associated with fatigue and weight loss. Clinical and diagnostic imaging investigations revealed a large, submucosal mass lesion located in the lower part of the esophagus. A bite biopsy of the esophageal mass was performed under esophagoscopy. Two imprint smears were made from the biopsied tissue fragment and stained with the May-Grünwald-Giemsa method. The smears revealed abundant, pleomorphic, malignant cells with basophilic cytoplasm. Some spindle-shaped cancer cells showed intracytoplasmic cross-striations, indicating a pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma, as confirmed by histologic and immunohistochemical studies of the biopsied tumor tissue and resected tumor.


CONCLUSIONS
The presence of pleomorphic malignant cells with intracytoplasmic cross striations is a characteristic feature of pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma.
Batoroev
Yuri K
YK
Cytopathology Laboratory, Irkutsk Oncology Center, Russia.
Nguyen
Gia-Khanh
GK
D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle / Q000379:methods; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D035583:Rare Diseases; D012208:Rhabdomyosarcoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity