Yolk Sac Tumor in Ascitic Fluid – Cytodiagnosis of a Rare Case

Yolk sac tumor (YST) is a germ cell tumor of gonads presenting in children and young adults. It is rare to find metastasis of the YST in effusion fluid. We report a case of a YST in a 17-year-old female diagnosed on cytological examination of ascitic fluid and confirmed histologically after resection as YST. This case not only highlights the rare possibility of metastasis of the YST in ascitic fluid cytology but also emphasizes the diagnostic dilemma it causes in diagnosing such cases in body fluids. Detailed clinical history including the age of the patient, along with serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels is essential to a make a preoperative diagnosis. Histopathology with AFP immunohistochemistry confirms the diagnosis of such lesions.