INTRAOPERATIVE SQUASH AND TOUCH CYTOLOGY OF CHONDROID CHORDOMA OF THESKULL BASE - REPORT OF A CASE WITH IMMUNOCYTOCHEMICAL AND IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL STUDIES

BACKGROUND: Chondroid chordoma is It rare variant of chordoma and is u sually located in the sphenooccipital region. This tumor shows clinica l and histologic features common to both conventional chordoma and low grade chondrosarcoma and has a better prognosis than either of those lesions. To our knowledge, there has been no English language report d escribing its cytologic features. CASE: The cytologic features of skul l base chondroid chordoma observed in intraoperative crush and touch p reparations from a 33-year-old female are reported. Touch cytology rev ealed round or stellate cells distributed in a mucoid background witho ut a typical epithelial cordlike arrangement. The cells had variably v acuolated cytoplasm and round or oval nuclei and showed slight cellula r pleomorphism. May-Giemsa staining wits superior to Papanicolaou stai ning in demonstrating the mucoid matrix and vacuolated cytoplasm of th e tumor cells. Additionally, crush preparations were effective in demo nstrating well-differentiated chondroid elements. Immunocytochemistry with positivity for S-100 protein and cytokeratins was an essential ad junct in the cytologic diagnosis of chordoma and helped in distinguish ing it from other chondrogenic tumors. CONCLUSION: It is possible and advantageous to diagnose chondroid chordoma with a combination of cyto logic and immunocytochemical studies of intraoperative crush and touch preparations in conjunction with clinical and radiographic informatio n.