Primary Pigmented Neuroectodermal Tumor of the Uterine Cervix

Abstract

A primary pigmented neuroectodermal tumor of the uterine cervix is described. The patient was 57 years old when she presented with vaginal bleeding. She underwent total abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy and pelvic lymph adenectomy, followed by chemotherapy. Histologically, the tumor was characterized by the concomitant presence of two neural crest derivatives, neuroblasts and melano cytes. The latter cells were arranged in a tubulopapillary fashion and contained abun dant melanin. Histochemical, immunohistochemical, and electron microscopic exami nation confirmed the diagnosis. The patient was alive without evidence of disease 5 years later. An origin of this tumor from abnormally migrated neural crest cells is suggested. Int J Surg Pathol 2(1):31-36, 1994