Alpha-fetoprotein-producing papillary adenocarcinoma originating from a uterine body. A case report

A rare case of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP)-producing papillary adenocarcinoma originating from the uterine body of a 55-year-old Japanese woman is reported. The histologic appearance of the tumor was reminiscent of a serous papillary carcinoma of the ovary, in clear contrast to that of common endometrial adenocarcinomas. No features of embryonal carcinoma or yolk sac tumor were evident. Immunohistochemical examination demonstrated the production of AFP by the tumor cells. To our knowledge there are six reported cases of AFP-producing malignant tumors of the uterine body in the literature, four of them being yolk sac tumor, one mixed mesodermal tumor, and one endometrial adenocarcinoma. This is therefore the first case of an AFP-producing papillary adenocarcinoma that developed in the uterine body. This report should contribute to a better understanding of the histogenesis of AFP-producing tumors in this organ.