title: Primary yolk sac (endodermal sinus) tumour of the vulva: a case report.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report a case of primary yolk sac (endodermal sinus) tumour (YST) of the vulva which is very rare and to highlight some unusual features of this tumour in the vulva.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 23-year-old woman presented with a 1-month swelling in the right labium majus that was non-tender and rapidly increasing in size. The mass was excised; it grossly measured 6 × 5 × 3 cm and was firm with a grey white cut surface. Microscopically it showed features of YST. The patient returned to the clinic only after 2 months with a recurrent mass of almost the same size with ipsilateral lymphadenopathy. At that time serum α-fetoprotein showed only a mild increase (13.4 μg/l, normal: 0-10 μg/l). Further management was not possible as she decided to return to her native country for treatment. A literature review shows that local excision with lymphadenectomy followed by cisplatin-based chemotherapy is the best mode of treatment for primary YST of the vulva.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This case is presented for its rarity and to highlight the fact that serum α-fetoprotein estimation may not aid in the primary diagnosis or detection of recurrence in patients on follow-up for YST arising in the vulva unlike those seen in the gonads.
authors.affiliation: Department of Histopathology, Maternity Hospital, Kuwait University, Jabriya, Kuwait. nageshbabu_s1@rediffmail.com
authors.forename: Nagesh Babu
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Subrahmanya
authors.forename: Surendra Nayak
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Kapadi
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Junaid
mesh_terms: D018240:Endodermal Sinus Tumor / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D014846:Vulvar Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D055815:Young Adult; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins