[The value of cytology in the diagnosis of extragonadal germ cell tumors].

Extragonadic germinal tumors are frequently mixed tumors. When a metastatic sacrococcygeal teratoma is clinically suspected in children, a yolk-sac tumor component could be judiciously demonstrated by either an elevated serum level of alphafoetoprotein (AFP), or fine needle aspiration cytology. We report the case of a 25 month aged girl presenting a metastatic sacrococcygeal tumor (lymph node and bone metastasis) with high level of AFP (34.100 microg/ml). Fine needle aspiration cytology identified the yolk sac tumor component, characterized by papillae and glandular clusters, composed of pale isomorphic cells with vesicular and nucleolated nucleus and some intracytoplasmic hyaline globules. The yolk sac tumor component could not be identified in the sacrococcygeal surgical specimen, exclusively composed of immature teratoma.