Clinicopathological features to distinguish malignant solitary fibrous tumors of the prostate from prostatic stromal tumors.

Abstract

Mesenchymal tumors of the prostate are rare but encompass a wide differential diagnosis. In our study, we aimed to investigate the clinicopathological features that can be used to differentiate malignant solitary fibrous tumors (mSFTs) occurring in the prostate from prostatic stromal tumors. A total of 15 patients with mesenchymal tumors of the prostate were identified in Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital from 2009 to 2019, including 3 mSFTs, 9 stromal tumors of uncertain malignant potential (STUMPs), and 3 prostatic stromal sarcomas (PSSs). Immunohistochemical stains for signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 (STAT6), aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (ALDH1), CD34, desmin, smooth muscle actin (SMA), progesterone receptor (PR), CD117, and cytokeratin (CK) were performed on representative sections from each tumor, and the clinical features, histology, and immunophenotype of these three groups were analyzed. There was no significant difference in mean patient age of patients diagnosed with mSFTs, STUMPs, and PSSs. mSFTs and PSSs showed significantly increased tumor size (p < 0.05), Ki-67 proliferation index (p < 0.0001), and mitotic activity (p < 0.05) when compared with STUMPs. mSFTs showed significantly higher expression of STAT6 compared with both PSSs and STUMPs (p < 0.0001, p < 0.0001). PR showed significantly more expression in STUMPs than in mSFTs or PSSs (p < 0.0001, p < 0.0001). Desmin and SMA showed significantly more expression in STUMPs than in mSFTs (p < 0.05). ALDH1, CD117, CK, and CD34 showed no significant difference in staining between mSFTs, STUMPs, and PSSs. Therefore, a limited panel of STAT6, PR, and Ki-67 may be useful in distinguishing between mSFTs, STUMPs, and PSSs.