Primitive neuroectodermal tumor of the uterine cervix diagnosed during pregnancy: a rare case with review of literature

Primary Ewing's sarcoma of the uterine cervix: a case report and review of the literature

BACKGROUND

Ewing's sarcoma (ES) is an aggressive cancer of bone and soft tissue, most of which tend to occur in the bone. Extraosseous Ewing's sarcoma (EES) of the cervix is extremely rare.

CASE PRESENTATION

In the present work, we reported a 39-year-old cervical EES patient with a 2.5*2.1*1.8 cm tumor mass. According to previous literatures, our case is the smallest tumor found in primary cervical ES ever. The patient initially came to our hospital due to vaginal bleeding, and then the gynecological examination found a neoplasm between the cervical canal and partially in the external cervical orifice. The diagnosis of EES was confirmed below: Hematoxylin & Eosin staining (H&E) revealed small round blue malignant cells in biopsy specimens. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) showed the positive staining for CD99, NKX2.2, and FLI1. Disruption of EWSR1 gene was found by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and the EWSR1-FLI1 gene fusion was determined by next-generation sequencing (NGS). The patient received laparoscopic wide hysterectomy, bilateral adnexectomy, pelvic lymphadenectomy, and postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy and remained disease free with regular follow-up for 1 year.

CONCLUSIONS

Through a systematic review of previously reported cervical ES and this case, we highlighted the importance of FISH and NGS for the accuracy of ESS diagnosis, which could assist on the optimal treatment strategy. However, due to the rarity of the disease, there is no standard treatment schemes. Investigation on molecular pathological diagnosis and standardization of treatment regimens for cervical ES are critical to patients' prognosis.

Primary primitive neuroectodermal tumor of the cervix confirmed with molecular analysis in a pregnant woman: A case report and literature review

Primary primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET) in the female tract is rare. Recently, a case of cervical PNET was diagnosed in our hospital. A 29-year-old pregnant woman presented with a cystic-solid cervical mass at the 7th week of gestation. The mass grew rapidly during follow-up and ruptured at the 22nd week. A biopsy was performed on the mass. Pathological examination revealed a malignant neoplasm composed of small cells which exhibited positive immunohistochemical (IHC) staining for CD99, SYN, and FLI1. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) displayed the presence of EWS-FLI1 fusion gene resulting from the chromosomal translocation t (11;22, q24;q12), which confirmed the diagnosis of cervical PNET. The reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) results showed type 2 EWS-FLI1 fusion occurred in this tumor, suggesting a poor prognosis. The patient underwent surgical resection and was given adjuvant chemotherapy followed by pelvic radiotherapy. PNET arising from the genital tract, especially in the uterine cervix, is very rare and presents a diagnostic challenge. FISH and RT-PCR analysis are helpful for the diagnosis of such a tumor at an unusual site, as in the present case.

Primitive neuroectodermal tumor of the cervix diagnosed during pregnancy: a rare case report with discussion

Background

Primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET) is a relatively rare malignant small round cell tumor, and the occurrence of cervical PNET during pregnancy is extremely rare.

Case presentation

A case of pregnancy complicated by PNET at our hospital was reported. A 19-year-old pregnant woman presented to the hospital due to multiple instances of vaginal bleeding during the first and second trimesters. She was initially considered for threatened abortion but was ultimately diagnosed with cervical PNET. No standard treatment plan has been developed for pregnant women with this tumor. After completing the necessary examinations, doctors cooperated with the patient and her family to develop a surgical treatment plan. The patient recovered well after surgery, but she refused radiotherapy and chemotherapy. After nearly 3 years of follow-up visits, the patient is alive with no signs of recurrence.

Conclusions

PNET during pregnancy is a rare but complex condition. It is necessary to devise an individualized treatment plan according to gestational age. Timely surgical treatment can significantly prolong the survival time of patients but may also lead to fetal loss and the inability to carry a pregnancy.

Successful Radical Pneumonectomy for a Primitive Neuroendodermal Tumor in the Lung: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Peripheral primitive neuroendodermal tumors (PNETs) and Ewing's sarcoma belong to the Ewing family of tumors and are small round-cell malignancies originating from spinal cord cells. These tumors account for 5% of all small round-cell malignant neoplasms. PNETs that arise from the lung parenchyma without pleural or chest wall involvement are very rare. We report a case of an adult female with a large pulmonary PNET who had given birth just 1 month prior to the diagnosis. She had cough and expectoration for 6 months, and the preoperative examination showed no metastases. Thus, we performed radical pneumonectomy and lymph node dissection. The patient recovered well without surgical complications and was discharged 7 days after the surgery. Postoperative pathology confirmed that the tumor was a small round-cell malignancy, and the tumor cells were positive for CD99, Friend leukemia virus integration 1 (FLI-1), and neuron-specific enolase (NSE), which was consistent with the diagnosis of a PNET. For primary large pulmonary PNETs, radical pneumonectomy may be a safe surgical method, worthy of further application in clinical practice.

Ewing's sarcoma of the cervix: A case report and review of literature

Ewing's sarcoma (ES) is a small cell malignant tumor that occurs in the bone of children or adolescents. ES can also occur in extraskeletal organs, such as the pancreas, thyroid, liver, proximal phalanx, and, rarely, cervix. Only 15 published case reports have discussed ES arising in the cervix. We report a 76-year-old woman who had groin mass. ES was diagnosed in accordance with morphological and immunohistochemical maps. Fluorescence in situ hybridization and RT-PCR (reverse transcription PCR) revealed ESWR1 gene rearrangement and fusion gene formation (EWS-FLI-1), both of which confirmed the diagnosis of ES. Although the patient underwent surgical resection, the patient died without chemotherapy and radiotherapy. This case is the first one to involve a patient aged over 70 years and the fifth one to show metastasis occurrence.

Ewing's sarcoma of the cervix: A case report of an unusual diagnosis in pregnancy treated with surgery, adjuvant VIDE and radiotherapy

Ewing's sarcoma of the cervix is a rare entity and presents with considerable challenges in diagnosis and therapy. Herein, we report a case of a cervical Ewing's sarcoma presenting with FIGO stage Ib, diagnosed during the first trimester of the patient's pregnancy. Imaging with CT scans, MRI of her abdomen and PET-CT verified the locoregional extension of the tumor. The diagnosis was confirmed by immunohistochemistry and molecular analysis. Fluorescence in situ hybridization and RT-PCR detected the pathognomonic EWS/FLI fusion gene. Favorable prognostic factors regarding the stage, clinocopathological and molecular characteristics of the tumor are also described. Due to the rarity of the disease, at present, there is no universal consensus on the optimal therapeutic approach. The literature has been reviewed and the therapeutic schemes and available clinical data have been discussed. The patient presented in this case report was treated aggressively with tri-modality therapy and underwent radical hysterectomy followed by adjuvant chemotherapy with Vincristine-Ifosfamide-Doxorubicin-Etoposide and radiotherapy. The patient remains free of this disease 42 months following the diagnosis of her tumor.

Clinical management of a unique case of PNET of the uterus during pregnancy, and review of the literature

RATIONALE

PNETs (primitive neuroectodermal tumors) are a family of highly malignant neoplasms characterized by small round cells of neuroepithelial origin. They usually involve bone and soft tissues, and have a higher incidence in childhood.

PATIENT CONCERNS

In this case report, we describe the obstetric and oncological outcome of a huge mass diagnosed as a leiomyoma in a 39-year-old pregnant woman who complained of low back pain, dysuria, and urinary frequency at 22 weeks of gestation.

DIAGNOSES

During the 25th week of pregnancy, the patient was referred to our hospital at night with severe anemia and suspected hemoperitoneum. She underwent an emergency caesarean section, delivering a female fetus weighing 400 g, with an Apgar score of 7 at 1 minute and 9 at 5 minutes.

INTERVENTION

During surgery, we found a huge uterine sarcoma-like metastatic tumor, invading the pelvic peritoneum and parametria bilaterally; the adnexae seemed disease-free. We performed a type B radical hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, pelvic peritonectomy, omentectomy, appendectomy, and excision of a bulky lymph node. Seven days after delivery, staging computed tomography (CT) scan demonstrated a large lombo-aortic lymph node compressing the left renal vein and we completed debulking with a second surgery, including diaphragmatic peritonectomy and excision of a huge lymph node by lombo-aortic lymphadenectomy, requiring partial reconstruction of an infiltrated renal vein.

OUTCOME

Ten days after the second surgery, echo-color Doppler showed a regular microcirculation in the left kidney. The patient was discharged after 10 days, and the baby after 1 month, both in good health.Histological examination revealed a uterine body cPNET (central primitive neuroectodermal tumor) orienting the clinical management toward chemotherapy with cisplatin and etoposide.

LESSONS

PNETs are aggressive neoplasms, usually diagnosed at an advanced stage. Due to their low incidence, universally accepted guidelines are still unavailable. Radical surgery leaving no macroscopic residual disease is mandatory in advanced stages. A good fertility-sparing procedure can be performed only in young women at early stages of disease, when the wish for childbearing is not yet fulfilled.

Primitive neuroectodermal tumour of the cervix: a rare diagnosis

A 48-year-old woman presented with symptoms of lower abdominal pain and vaginal discharge for 6 months. Clinical examination and pelvic ultrasound scan suggested a diagnosis of infected Gartner's cyst, for which she underwent vaginal cystectomy. However, histopathology and immunohistochemistry revealed a diagnosis of primitive neuroectodermal tumour of the cervix. Further investigations revealed the stage to be FIGO IIIB, which was inoperable. She received neoadjuvant chemotherapy (vincristine, adriamycin, cyclophosphamide alternating with ifosfamide, cisplatin and etoposide, every 21 days), but the tumour did not respond to treatment and she was started on radiotherapy with definitive intent (55.8 Gray in 31 fractions over 6.2 weeks). A PET-CT performed 2 months after completion of radiotherapy showed complete response, and she is now receiving adjuvant chemotherapy.

Primitive neuroectodermal tumor originating from the lung: A case report

Primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNETs) are small, round cell tumors that may be classified as peripheral or central, based on their site of origin. PNETs often arise in the soft tissue or bone of young adults. Although not common, PNETs have been described in other organs, including the gonads, kidneys, myocardium and pancreas, but rarely in the lungs without chest wall or pleural involvement. The present study reports a rare case of peripheral PNET (pPNET), which originated in the lung. A 37-year-old female patient presented at Xuzhou Central Hospital (Xuzhou, China) with a history of a dry cough, mild dyspnea and slight pain in the left chest. Histopathological and immunohistochemical analyses permitted the diagnosis of a pPNET. The patient was treated with surgical resection, followed by chemotherapy (including cyclophosphamide, cisplatin and vincristine), radiotherapy and traditional Chinese medicine (including Kanglaite and Shenqi Fuzheng injections). At the time of writing, the patient was alive with no sign of recurrence and under regular follow-ups at the Outpatient Clinic of Xuzhou Central Hospital.

Ewing's sarcoma of the cervix, a diagnostic dilemma: a case report and review of the literature

INTRODUCTION

Ewing's sarcoma belongs to a spectrum of neoplastic diseases known as Ewing's family of tumors. This family of tumors is usually seen in osseous sites. Ewing's sarcoma of the cervix is extremely rare, with only 18 cases reported in the English literature. The immunohistochemical profile of Ewing's sarcoma overlaps with other malignancies like small cell carcinoma. The rarity and complex pathologic picture of Ewing's sarcoma of the cervix creates the potential for misdiagnosis. Hence, we believe this case needs to be reported to add to the available literature.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 49-year-old white Caucasian woman presented with vaginal bleeding. A pelvic examination revealed a cystic lesion arising from her cervix. Examination of a biopsy specimen revealed a poorly differentiated neoplasm, with sheets of small hyperchromatic cells, staining weakly for neuroendocrine markers. She was diagnosed with small cell carcinoma and started on concurrent chemotherapy and radiation. However, additional positive immunostaining for CD99 was strongly suggestive of Ewing's sarcoma. Fluorescence in situ hybridization revealed ESWR1 gene rearrangement, confirming Ewing's sarcoma. Our patient underwent surgery, which confirmed stage IIB Ewing's sarcoma. She received adjuvant chemotherapy but died from progressive metastatic disease after four cycles.

CONCLUSION

With early diagnosis and appropriate treatment, Ewing's sarcoma of the cervix can be a potentially curable disease. However, owing to overlapping clinical and histopathological features, the diagnosis poses a challenge to oncologists and pathologists. This article guides pathologists to consider Ewing's sarcoma in the differential diagnosis of small cell carcinoma with weak staining for neuroendocrine markers. This literature review will benefit oncologists encountering this rare entity.