[Endometrial stromal sarcoma of vaginal and para-vaginal localization. Morphology, diagnosis and differential...

Endometrial stromal sarcomas constitute a subgroup of malignant mesenchymal uterine neoplasms and comprise biologically somewhat different variants. Their occurrence in extrauterine tissues is possible but extremely rare and therefore they are quite often mistaken for other tumours. Reported in this paper is a stromal sarcoma in vaginal and paravaginal localization (64-years old woman). It was the purpose of our study to present the histological structure in comparison to uterine neoplasms and to discuss differential diagnosis. It could be demonstrated that histological features of the actual case corresponded precisely to the respective uterine tumours originating within the myometrium. In extrauterine position, haemangiopericytomas, leiomyosarcoma, malignant schwannomas, fibrosarcomas and synovial sarcomas as well as Müllerian adenosarcomas and carcinosarcomas should be taken into account. Important histological features facilitating distinction of endometrial stromal sarcomas from the aforementioned malignant tumours are discussed, and some comments are added with regard to histogenetical interpretation.