The cytologic findings in choroid plexus carcinoma: Report of a case with differential diagnosis

Choroid plexus carcinoma is a rare tumor of the choroid plexus that shows frank cytologic features of malignancy including frequent mitoses, increased cellularity, nuclear pleomorphism, loss of papillary architecture, and necrosis. It occurs predominantly in the pediatric population and is associated with a poor prognosis. We report the cerebrospinal fluid and intraoperative squash preparation cytologic findings of a case of choroid plexus carcinoma arising in the lateral ventricle of a 16-year-old girl who developed tumor recurrence in cerebrospinal fluid 6 years after initial resection. To the best of our knowledge, there are only a few reports in the English literature describing the cytologic features of choroid plexus carcinoma. Relevant differentials and the usefulness of ancillary studies in diagnosis are also discussed. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2012.