Uterine tumor resembling ovarian sex-cord tumor: report of a case mimicking cervical adenocarcinoma.

Uterine tumors resembling ovarian sex-cord tumors (UTROSCTs) are unusual neoplasms with histologic features that resemble those within ovarian Sertoli and granulosa cell tumors. We report the case of a 24-year-old woman with a UTROSCT presenting as a cervical mass, which on initial evaluation was thought to represent cervical adenocarcinoma. The patient's cervical biopsy specimen contained epithelioid cells arranged in tubules and anastomosing cords, without significant cellular atypia or mitotic activity. Because this morphology elicited a broad differential diagnosis, immunohistochemical studies were performed. The tumor was found to be diffusely positive for cytokeratin cocktail, calretinin, and desmin, focally positive for CK7 and SMA, and negative for EMA, CEA, inhibin, CD10, CK20, chromogranin, and synaptophysin. Ultrastructural examination revealed occasional gland-like lumens with cells joined by desmosomes and a continuous basal lamina. UTROSCTs have features that may cause them to be confused with more common tumors, especially in limited biopsy samples, and should be included in the differential diagnosis when a gland-forming neoplasm with an unusual appearance is identified in a cervical or endometrial biopsy specimen.