RECURRENT BENIGN MULLERIAN PAPILLOMA OF THE VAGINA - IMMUNOHISTOLOGICAL FINDINGS AND HISTOGENESIS

Vaginal papillomata are rare, particularly in children. The macroscopi c appearance is suggestive of a botryoid rhabdomyosarcoma, which is mo re common in this age group. The histogenesis of these tumors is still controversial, the choices being mesonephric or Mullerian origin. In our case cytokeratins and intermediate filaments were looked for immun ohistochemically. Squamous epithelium as well as the cylindrical epith elium expresses type I cytokeratins, an acidic polypeptide typical of cylindrical epithelium. A strong expression of EMA in both epithelial types and CEA staining of the cylindrical epithelium support the hypot hesis that these papillomata derive from Mullerian epithelium. Recurre nce as observed in our case has not been described before. Treatment i nvolves the simple removal of the papilloma.