Askin tumor

Last revised by Daniel J Bell on 28 Apr 2024

The original description of the Askin tumor (by Askin and Rosai in 1979 1), and many studies following it have led to a great deal of confusion. An Askin tumor was considered a separate entity or as a type of peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumor, usually of the chest wall.

However, in the early 2000s, genetic research concluded that an Askin tumor is the same as a Ewing sarcoma, and now is part of the spectrum of the Ewing sarcoma family of tumors, sharing similar demographics, imaging findings and prognosis 2,3. Please see Ewing sarcoma of the chest wall for more detail. 

While histologically the tumors are similar to an Ewing sarcoma, their typical location and growth pattern make the tumor a distinct radiographic entity.

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