METASTATIC RHABDOMYOSARCOMA DIAGNOSED BY FINE NEEDLE ASPIRATION CYTOLOGY OF THE AXILLARY METASTASIS: A CASE REPORT

*Tuba Kara, Rabia Bozdogan Arpac?, Ebru Ser?nsoz, Didar Gursoy, Caglar C?tak, Ay?e Polat,

ABSTRACT

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is the most common soft tissue tumor in childhood. The aim of the present case is to assess the role of fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) in the management of childhood RMS. A 17 year-old female patient was referred to the doctor due to a mass 10 cm in diameter on the left forearm and a palpable mass in the axilla. In microscopic examination of the biopsy from forearm a tumor having features consistent with alveolar RMS was observed and immunohistochemistry confirmed the diagnosis. FNAC was performed to the lesion in the axilla. Cytologically the cells were small and lymphocyte-like, with eccentrically located hyperchoromatic nuclei and cytoplasmic vacuoles. The lesion was diagnosed as small round cell tumor, consistent with RMS with these findings. After a neoadjuvant chemotherapy protocol, transcondylar amputation was performed to the left forearm. After 11 months breast metastasis was confirmed pathologically in permanent histological sections.

Keywords: Alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma; fine needle aspiration cytology; pediatric; metastasis.