[Squamous cell carcinoma with a sarcomatoid variant of the vagina]

A case of squamous cell carcinoma with a sarcomatoid variant, usually called a spindle cell carcinoma, located in the vagina of a postmenopausal woman is reported. Although a cytologic examination of a smear of the scraped tumor showed the coexistence of sarcomatous spindle and keratinizing carcinomatous cells, the first bioptic specimen consisted only of sarcomatous tissue. Further histologic, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural examinations succeeded in making a definite diagnosis of a squamous cell carcinoma with a sarcomatoid variant. We would like to emphasize that combined cytologic and histologic examinations led us to make a correct diagnosis after discussing the differential diagnosis.