Ultrastructure of the Ewing's sarcoma family of tumors

Specimens of 47 tumors diagnosed by routine light microscopy as Ewing's sarcoma of bone, and 5 similar soft tissue tumors (extraskeletal Ewing's sarcomas), were examined by transmission electron microscopy. Immunohistochemical stains were performed on all the tumors, and pre-therapy and post-therapy specimens from 5 of the patients were compared. Cell and nuclear areas were assessed in 41 cases by cytomorphometry by using low-magnification electron micrographs. DNA ploidy was determined by static cytometry on 51 of the tumors. None of the methods revealed differences between the bone and soft tissue tumors. The ultrastructural spectrum extended imperceptibly from the typical forms to markedly irregular variants, and was much broader than could be anticipated from the light microscopy. Neural features were observed but they were not common. Comparison of the Ewing's sarcomas with a group of other small round cell tumors (rhabdomyosarcoma, neuroblastoma, small cell carcinoma) using the same techniques showed that they have similar cell and nuclear areas despite the obvious differences in their immunophenotypes and ultrastructure. The collective findings are in keeping with the currently favored view that Ewing's sarcoma and peripheral primitive neuro-ectodermal tumor are the extremes in a morphologic continuum within which neural differentiation ranges from absent to prominent.