Müllerian adenosarcoma of vagina arising in persistent endometriosis: report of a case and review of the literature

Gynecol Oncol. 2003 Aug;90(2):486-90. doi: 10.1016/s0090-8258(03)00266-x.

Abstract

Background: Primary adenosarcoma arising in vaginal endometriosis poses a diagnostic challenge, especially in superficial vaginal biopsies.

Case: A 56-year-old woman, with a prior diagnosis of ovarian endometriosis, presented with a rapidly enlarging mass of the vaginal vault. Two prior biopsies were benign and showed endometriosis. The third vaginal biopsy revealed benign endometriotic glands cuffed by a cellular stroma with moderate cytologic atypia, a histological appearance diagnostic of Müllerian adenosarcoma. A 16-cm vaginal mass that had infiltrated the pelvic structures was resected.

Conclusions: Close clinical follow-up of extrauterine endometriosis and clinical-pathologic correlation is necessary. Histological features such as cellular stromal cuffing around benign endometriotic glands are critical in arriving at a timely diagnosis of adenosarcoma in patients with persistent extrauterine endometriosis, even in superficial vaginal biopsies.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adenosarcoma / etiology*
  • Adenosarcoma / pathology
  • Endometriosis / complications*
  • Endometriosis / pathology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Mixed Tumor, Mullerian / etiology*
  • Mixed Tumor, Mullerian / pathology
  • Vaginal Neoplasms / etiology*
  • Vaginal Neoplasms / pathology