Sarcoma botryoides of the uterine cervix in young women: a clinicopathological study of 13 cases.

Although the clinical and pathological features of sarcoma botryoides of the vagina in infancy are well documented in the literature, only occasional cases of a histologically similar tumor of the uterine cervix have been described, mostly as individual case reports. We have reviewed 13 cases of sarcoma botryoides of the cervix. The patients range in age from 12 to 26 years, with a mean of 18 years. All presented with vaginal bleeding, "something" protruding from the introitus, or both. On gross examination the tumors were polypoid, smooth, glistening, and focally hemorrhagic. Microscopic examination revealed the presence of a cambium layer and cells showing the features of rhabdomyoblasts in all the cases. Six of the 13 tumors (45%) contained foci of mature cartilage. All the patients were alive and well 1 to 8 years (average 3.5 years) postoperatively except for one who died of the tumor after 1 year. Although most of the patients had a radical operation, sometimes followed by chemotherapy, three had excellent results after polypectomy or cervicectomy. The findings indicate that, unlike its counterpart in the vagina, which has a poor prognosis, sarcoma botryoides of the cervix in young women has a favorable outlook.