Squamous cell carcinoma of the penis with rhabdoid features.

A 76-year-old man presented with a tumoral lesion in his penis that had all the light microscopic and immunohistochemical features of a squamous cell carcinoma with rhabdoid phenotype. We believe that this is the fourth reported case of squamous cell carcinoma with rhabdoid features and the first one located in the penis. Rhabdoid cells were primarily located in areas with an alveolar pattern, most of them being isolated and intermixed with necrotic cells and necrotic debris. We suggest that the rhabdoid phenotype could represent a type of degeneration, or a preliminary stage before apoptosis or cell necrosis, instead of a specific differentiation. In extrarenal tumors with rhabdoid features, stage and histologic types of tumors where rhabdoid changes occur are the most important prognostic factors. Copyright 2002, Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.