Basaloid carcinoma and keratinizing squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva: a case of two primary carcinomas.

Basaloid carcinomas of the vulva have been reported to occur mostly in young women and are often associated with Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection, whereas older women mostly suffer from keratinizing squamous cell carcinomas unassociated with HPV. The rare case of a 75 year old woman coincidentally suffering from a basaloid carcinoma and a keratinizing squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva is reported. With in situ hybridisation, hybrid capture and immunohistochemical methods we searched for HPV and expression of cytokeratin AE1/AE3, cytokeratin HMW and cytokeratin 8, 18, 19. HPV was not found in either of the carcinomas. Cytokeratin HMW showed a focal staining reaction in the keratinizing squamous cell carcinoma and no expression in the basaloid carcinoma. Immunohistochemical staining reaction for cytokeratin AE1/AE3 was found in both tumors with the same staining pattern. Cytokeratin 8, 18, 19 was not detected in either of the two carcinomas.