Endodermal sinus tumor of the infant vagina treated exclusively with chemotherapy

Endodermal sinus tumor (EST) of the vagina is a rare malignancy usually diagnosed before 3 years of age. Historically, the approach to therapy has included radical surgical resection, with adjuvant irradiation, and chemotherapy. An infant presented with vaginal bleeding, imaging evidence of a vaginal mass and an elevated alpha-fetoprotein level. Examination under anesthesia with vaginal biopsies confirmed the diagnosis of an EST (yolk sac) tumor of the vagina. After 5 cycles of chemotherapy, the alpha-fetoprotein had normalized and repeat vaginal biopsies for suspected residual disease was negative for malignancy. To allow preservation of sexual and reproductive function, chemotherapy as a sole modality of treatment for EST should be considered.