Peripheral neuroepithelioma (peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumor) of the uterine cervix

Abstract

We report here a case of peripheral neuroepithelioma arising in the uterine cervix. A 44-year-old female had complained of irregular genital bleeding for several months and was diagnosed as extraosseous Ewing's sarcoma (EOE) from biopsy specimens initially. The tumor ceils, which were intensely stained by periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) and digested with diastase, were uniformly small and round, had hyperchromatic nuclei and scant, indistinct cytoplasm. The surgically-removed tumor cells were immunohistoehemically stained with antisera against neuro-specific enolase (NSE), tyrosine hydroxylase. In ultrastructural study, neurosecretory granules were observed. Finally we diagnosed this case as peripheral neuroepithelioma (peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumor; PNET).