Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration of metastatic alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma to the pancreas with fluorescence in situ hybridization: a case report

Diagn Cytopathol. 2011 Aug;39(8):612-5. doi: 10.1002/dc.21518. Epub 2010 Nov 22.

Abstract

Alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma (ARMS) is a rare tumor in adults. Cytologic diagnosis of metastatic ARMS to the pancreas diagnosed by endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) has been reported rarely in the literature. A 20-year-old male with a history of ARMS in the right maxillary sinus resected one year earlier and pancreatitis treated two months earlier, presented on routine follow-up. Abdominal positron electron tomography-CT scan revealed a mass in the pancreas and fluorodeoxyglucose uptake in the left paraaortic lymph node. Subsequent magnetic resonance imaging of the abdomen showed a 3.6 × 6.4 cm mass in the tail of the pancreas. EUS-FNA was performed using a 22-gauge needle. Cytologic criteria and immunohistochemistry in the smears were analyzed. A diagnosis consistent with metastatic ARMS was rendered. Subsequent FISH analysis of the case and histologic review of the primary tumor supported the final diagnosis. A diagnosis of metastatic ARMS to the pancreas can be made by EUS-FNA. FISH can be used as an ancillary technique in diagnosing the tumor.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Biopsy, Fine-Needle / methods
  • Cell Shape
  • Cell Size
  • Chromatin / genetics
  • Chromatin / metabolism
  • Endoscopy / methods
  • Forkhead Box Protein O1
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Humans
  • In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence
  • Male
  • Maxillary Sinus Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Maxillary Sinus Neoplasms / genetics
  • Maxillary Sinus Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / pathology
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / secondary*
  • Rhabdomyosarcoma, Alveolar / diagnosis
  • Rhabdomyosarcoma, Alveolar / genetics
  • Rhabdomyosarcoma, Alveolar / secondary*
  • Surgery, Computer-Assisted / methods
  • Translocation, Genetic
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Chromatin
  • FOXO1 protein, human
  • Forkhead Box Protein O1
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors