Cases Of Low-grade Fibromyxoid Sarcoma Research Articles

Low‐grade fibromyxoid sarcoma versus fibromatosis: A comparative study of clinicopathological and immunohistochemical features

We have studied 11 cases of low-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma (LGFMS) and 15 cases of fibromatosis with respect to clinicopathological features and immunohistochemical expression of Ki-67, nm23, cyclinD1, and p53, in order to investigate the differential diagnosis between this two groups. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections from 11 cases of LGFMS and 15 cases of fibromatosis were studied histologically and immunohistochemically. The immunostainings were semiquantitatively evaluated using the Allred score system. Microscopically, LGFMS was composed of bland spindle cells arranged in a whorled pattern showing alternating myxoid zones and fibrous stroma zones with prominent arcade curvilinear capillaries. Cytological atypia, mitotic figures, and tumor necrosis were absent in all 11 cases of LGFMS. In contrast, fibromatosis was less cellular and more fascicular, containing more collagen and showing no alternating fibrous and myxoid zones as compared with LGFMS. The immunostaining scores of nm23 in LGFMS were significantly lower than that in fibromatosis. The immunostaining scores of Ki-67, p53, and cyclinD1 in LGFMS were significantly higher than that in fibromatosis. Thus, we consider that LGFMS can be distinguished from fibromatosis by clinicopathological features, and assessments of the immunohistochemical expression level of cyclinD1, p53, nm23, and Ki-67 are helpful in the differential diagnosis.

Molecular Detection of FUS-CREB3L2 Fusion Transcripts in Low-grade Fibromyxoid Sarcoma Using Formalin-fixed, Paraffin-embedded Tissue Specimens

A diagnosis of low-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma (LGFMS) remains problematic because of its bland-looking histologic features that can be potentially confused with other benign or low-grade fibromyxoid lesions. Recent cytogenetic and molecular analyses have shown that most LGFMSs have a characteristic chromosomal abnormality, t(7;16)(q33;p11), resulting in the FUS-CREB3L2 fusion gene. However, such assays have only rarely been used to analyze formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tumor samples. In the present study, we conducted a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction assay to detect the FUS-CREB3L2 fusion transcripts using formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tumor tissue specimens from 16 LGFMSs including 3 cases with giant collagen rosettes. The primers were newly designed to specifically amplify most of the junctional regions of the FUS-CREB3L2 fusion gene transcripts previously reported. The FUS-CREB3L2 fusion gene transcripts were detected in 14/16 (88%) cases of LGFMS. A nucleotide sequence analysis of the PCR products revealed that different portions of the FUS exon 6 or 7 were fused with various sites of the CREB3L2 exon 5, resulting in 12 different nucleotide sequences. We also tested a primer set to detect the FUS-CREB3L1 fusion transcript, which is a rare variant of the gene fusion in LGFMS, although no PCR products were identified in any case. The FUS-CREB3L2 fusion transcripts were not detected in any of the 123 other soft-tissue tumors, including desmoid-type fibromatoses, myxofibrosarcomas, soft-tissue perineuriomas, and congenital or adult fibrosarcomas. These data suggest that our reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction assay is a reliable method to detect FUS-CREB3L2, which can thus help in accurately diagnosing LGFMS.

Low-Grade Fibromyxoid Sarcoma

Low-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma (LGFMS) is a distinctive variant of fibrosarcoma characterized by deceptively bland histologic features and a paradoxically aggressive clinical course. The radiologic finding of this uncommon tumor has not been described to date. In this report, 3 cases of LGFMS occurring in axilla, chest wall, and pleura are presented with CT, MRI, and sonographic findings.

Low-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma: ultrasound and magnetic resonance findings in two cases

Low-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma is a rare, slow-growing, yet metastasizing neoplasm characterized by histopathological fibrous/myxoid zonal alternations, which occasionally display an intralesional multinodular appearance. We report on the radiological features of two cases of low-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma. Case 1 was a large ovoid mass with a well-defined margin in the thigh, showing the characteristic multiple, intralesional variable-sized nodules on high-frequency ultrasound (US) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), some of the nodules showing a target-like appearance. Case 2 was a dumbbell-shaped chest wall mass showing invasive features without the intralesional multinodular appearance on MRI. The gross radiological appearances of our two cases were somewhat dissimilar, but they shared a pattern of low/high signal zonal distinction without hemorrhage or necrosis within the masses on MRI.

Low-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma and hyalinizing spindle cell tumor with giant rosettes: a clinicopathologic study of 73 cases supporting their identity and assessing the impact of high-grade areas.

Low-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma (LGFMS) is a rare sarcoma characterized by bland histologic features and a paradoxically aggressive clinical course. The hyalinizing spindle cell tumor with giant rosettes (HSCT) is a closely related tumor characterized by the presence of giant collagen rosettes. Only a single example of a metastasizing HSCT has been reported. A small subset of both LGFMS and HSCT display areas of increased cellularity and atypia which qualify as intermediate- to high-grade sarcoma; the significance of these features has not been definitively assessed. We present the clinicopathologic features of 77 cases of LGFMS and HSCT to determine the degree of overlap of these two lesions, their biologic behavior, and the significance of the occasional presence of intermediate- to high-grade sarcoma within both. The patients (33 female, 40 male) ranged from 3 to 78 years of age (median, 34 yrs). Fourteen cases occurred in patients less than 18 years of age. The tumors measured from 1 to 23 cm (median, 4.5 cm) and occurred predominantly in the trunk and lower extremities in both the deep (66 cases) and superficial (7 cases) soft tissues. In 15 cases, the tumor was present > 1 year before diagnosis. All tumors showed predominantly the typical hypocellularity and bland cytologic features of typical LGFMS; however, areas of hypercellularity and nuclear enlargement and hyperchromatism were identified in 12 of 73 (16%) and 7 of 73 (10%), respectively. Necrosis and mitotic activity >5/50 high-powered fields (HPF) were present in 6 of 73 (8%) and 5 of 73 (7%), respectively. Epithelioid areas were present in 33 of 73 (45%) and rosettes in 22 of 73 (30%). Follow up (54 cases; range, 2-192 mos; median, 24 mos; mean, 38 mos) showed 5 recurrences, 3 metastases, and 1 death. The diagnosis of LGFMS or HSCT was made prospectively in 51 patients; none had metastatic disease. Two of the metastatic tumors were LGFMS and one was a HSCT. LGFMS may occur more often in the pediatric population and show a much wider histologic spectrum than previously thought. A significant number of LGFMS possess inconspicuous collagen rosettes characteristic of HSCT, indicating that these two tumors are ends of a common spectrum rather than distinct entities. HSCT, like LGFMS, are low-grade sarcomas with metastatic potential. The presence of focal areas of intermediate- to high-grade sarcoma does not portend a worse outcome in the short term. The better prognosis reflected in this study compared with previous ones might reflect the fact that all were initially diagnosed as sarcomas and treated with aggressive surgery. The fact that the only three patients to develop metastatic disease were patients whose LGFMS or HSCT was identified retrospectively supports this concept.

Low-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma: a report of eight cases with histologic, immunohistochemical, and ultrastructural study.

We present eight cases of low-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma (LGFS) of soft tissues. The patients, six men and two women, ranged in age from 28 to 44 years (median, 39 years). All tumors were subcutaneous. They were located in the lower extremity (three cases), inguinal/perineal region (two cases), trunk (one case), upper extremity (one case), and neck (one case). Grossly, the lesions were similar to those described in previous studies; fibrous and well circumscribed, with pseudocapsules, and without any necrosis or nodularity. In a single case of hemosiderin-rich tumor, rusty brown strips were seen on the cut surface. Histologically, the tumors were composed of alternating fibrous and myxoid areas with various cellularity and with swirling and whorled growth patterns. The cells were stellate or spindle shaped and displayed none to mild nuclear pleomorphism and hyperchromasia. Some hypercellular areas showed a fascicular or herring bone pattern similar to common fibrosarcomas. In addition to the known typical picture of LGFS, we also have seen some unusual features. The cells of myxoid areas were often arranged in rows, thus resembling ossifying fibromyxoid tumor or myxoid chondrosarcoma of soft tissues. In a single case, the tumor cells contained a large amount of hemosiderin and the cellular nests contained synovial metaplasia-like clefts. The intranuclear invaginations of cytoplasm represented another interesting finding that was present in all tumors in our series. They seem to be constant or at least frequent features of LGFS, which may assist in the differential diagnosis. The immunohistochemical and ultrastructural findings were consistent with the fibroblastic nature of LGFS. Four cases also showed features of possible histiocytic modulation of the neoplastic fibroblasts.

Niedrig malignes Myxofibrosarkom versus niedrig malignes fibromyxoides Sarkom Distinkte Entit�ten mit �hnlichem Namen, aber unterschiedlichem Krankheitsverlauf

Low-grade myxofibrosarcoma (MFS) and low-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma (FMS) are two distinct entities in the spectrum of myxoid mesenchymal sarcomas with fibroblastic differentiation. Low-grade MFS is seen often in the extremities of elderly patients, subcutaneously more frequent than in deep soft tissues, whereas the majority of cases of low-grade FMS occur in young to middle-aged adults, commonly in deep soft tissues of the shoulder region, the extremities and the trunk. Histologically, low-grade MFS shows a multinodular growth pattern and is composed of round or polygonal tumour cells mixed with elongated, curvilinear, thin-walled blood vessels in a myxoid matrix. The tumour cell nuclei in low-grade MFS display at least moderate nuclear pleomorphism and hyperchromasia. Low-grade FMS, however, is composed of bland fusiform tumour cells arranged in a whorled or swirling pattern, or occasionally more linear, and set characteristically in an alternating fibrous and myxoid stroma. Low-grade MFS recurs frequently but has a very low metastatic potential, whereas low-grade FMS is characterised by an indolent but ultimately malignant clinical course with metastases in more than half of the cases, which underlines the importance of distinguishing between the two entities.

Low-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma. A report of 12 cases.

Twelve cases of low-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma are presented. The patients' ages ranged from 6 to 51 years; all but three were between 26 and 46 years of age. The tumor was located in the thigh or inguinal area in four patients, in the shoulder area in three patients, and in the axilla-chest wall area, the perineum, the small bowel mesentery, the neck, and the buttock in one patient each. Tumor size (maximum dimension) varied from 3.5 to 15 cm in the nine cases in which it was known (median, 9.5 cm). Histologically, the neoplasms demonstrated contrasting fibrous and myxoid areas, a swirling, whorled growth pattern (at least in part), and bland, deceptively benign-appearing fibroblastic spindle cells; cellularity was low to moderate, mitotic figures were uncommon, and nuclear pleomorphism was usually absent or slight. Focal histologic findings in a minority of the cases included increased perivascular cellularity, moderate nuclear pleomorphism (more often in recurrent tumors), and, in myxoid areas, a rich capillary vascular network (vascularity was usually not prominent). On follow-up, nine patients experienced local recurrence (from one to numerous times); recurrence was subsequently controlled in five cases but not in the remaining four. Distant metastasis occurred in seven cases, chiefly to the lungs, but two of these patients were rendered tumor-free (to latest follow-up) by excision of metastases. At latest follow-up, four patients had died of tumor at 8, 9, 31, and 31 1/2 years, respectively, three were alive with recurrent or metastatic tumor at 6 1/2, 12 1/2, and 50 years, respectively, and five were alive and tumor-free at 5 1/2, 10 1/2, 12, 22 1/2, and 44 years, respectively. One tumor, in the patient who died at 31 years, demonstrated "dedifferentiation" at 30 years. Low-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma is a distinctive, indolent soft-tissue sarcoma.