GRANULOCYTIC SARCOMA IN THE DIFFERENTIAL-DIAGNOSIS OF SMALL ROUND-CELL TUMOR OF CHILDHOOD - A CASE-REPORT

The diagnosis of granulocytic sarcoma has frequently been a problem fo r the pathologist because of the immature nature of the tumor. One oth er group of difficult-to-diagnose tumors is the small round cell tumor s of childhood, which lack any particular morphologic feature that wou ld allow a precise diagnosis. This report describes a 9-month-old boy with a soft tissue mass on the left ankle initially diagnosed as small round cell malignant tumor, who 2 months from diagnosis developed ano ther tumor simultaneously with the blood and bone marrow manifestation s of acute nonlymphocytic leukemia. Following leukemic manifestation, the retrospective diagnosis of granulocytic sarcoma was made. It is su ggested that granulocytic sarcoma should be included in the differenti al diagnosis of small round cell tumors in children.