Villoglandular adenocarcinoma of the vulva

Background. Only two previous cases of villoglandular adenocarcinoma of the vulva, an entity morphologically similar to tumors found in the uterine ce rvix and colorectum, have been reported. This paper communicates the first complete immunohistochemical study in villoglandular adenocarcinoma in orde r to determine its phenotype and histogenesis. Case. A 69-year-old woman had a 1.5-cm nodule in the right labium majus. Hi stologically, it corresponded to a minimally atypical, villoglandular adeno carcinoma with a small microinvasion. Immunohistochemically, it was positiv e to OC125, CEA, and OC19.9 and coexpressed cytokeratins 7 and 20. Chromogr anin, nuclear estrogen, and progesterone receptors were negative. Conclusion. Phenotypic expression was more consistent with a papillary muci nous ovarian or cervical neoplasm than of a colonic one. Its behavior was s imilar to that of its morphologic counterpart in the cervix, since the pati ent had no recurrence 3 years after a wide local excision. (C) 2001 Academi c Press.