Primary rhabdomyosarcoma of the cerebellum. Histopathological and immunohistochemical study of an autopsy case

: Primary rhabdomyosarcoma of the cerebellum. Histopathological and immunohistochemical study: a necropsy case. A necropsy case of primary cerebellar rhabdomyosarcoma occurred in a 38-year-old man has been investigated by histological and immunohistochemical techniques. In the most differentiated rhabdomyoblasts microscopic analysis showed obvious cross-striations and immunohistochemical reactivity for myoglobin (PAP method). Many tumor cells were positive for vimentin and muscle-specific intermediate filament protein desmin, but neither for glial fibrillary acidic protein nor neuron-specific enolase. The diagnostic role of the immunohistochemistry in this tumor is pointed out. The clinicopathological features of 30 cases of primary rhabdomyosarcoma of the central nervous system previously reported in the literature are briefly reviewed, and the histogenesis is discussed.