Epithelioid Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumors Research Articles

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor in children: A clinicopathologic and molecular study with parallels to the adult counterpart.

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNST) are aggressive neoplasms, arising either sporadically, in the setting of neurofibromatosis type I (NF1) or post radiation. Most MPNST occur in adults and their pathogenesis is driven by the loss of function mutations in the PRC2 complex, regardless of their clinical presentation. In contrast, pediatric MPNST are rare and their pathogenesis has not been elucidated. In this study, we investigate a large cohort of 64 MPNSTs arising in children and young adults (younger than the age of 20 years) to better define their clinicopathologic and molecular features. Sixteen (25%) cases were investigated by MSK-IMPACT, a targeted NGS panel of 505 cancer genes. Most patients (80%) were aged 11-20 years. A history of NF1 was established in half of the cases. Mean tumor size was 8.5cm. The most common locations included the extremities (34%) and abdomen/pelvis (27%). Histologically, 89% of high-grade MPNST showed conventional features, while the remaining three cases showed a predominant epithelioid phenotype. Heterologous differentiation occurred in 25% of high grade cases, with half showing rhabdomyoblastic differentiation. Tumors arose in a background of a plexiform neurofibroma (16%), neurofibroma (13%), and schwannoma in two cases (3%). Immunohistochemically, H3K27me3 expression was lost in 82% of conventional high-grade MPNST analyzed, while loss of SMARCB1 expression was seen in one epithelioid MPNST. Genomically, all cases showed more than one genetic abnormality, with 53% showing mutations in EED / SUZ12 genes, and 47% of cases harboring alterations in NF1 and CDKN2A/CDKN2B genes. At the last follow-up, 30% patients died of disease, 28% were alive with disease and 42% had no evidence of disease. NF1 status did not correlate with overall survival. In conclusion, half of pediatric and young adult MPNST were NF1-related and showed loss of function alterations in PRC2 complex, NF1, and CDKN2A, similar to the adult counterpart. Thus, H3K27me3 loss of expression may be used in the diagnosis of high grade MPNSTs in children. Moreover, a small subset of pediatric MPNST have an epithelioid morphology with different pathogenesis.

Primary pulmonary epithelioid malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor in a child: a case report

Primary pulmonary malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs) are uncommon sarcomas originating from intrapulmonary nerve sheath and have been rarely observed in children. Here, we report a case of a 16-year-old child who presented with a mass located in the upper lobe of right lung. The patient underwent a sleeve lobectomy and the pathological diagnosis of the tumor was primary pulmonary epithelioid MPNST. Despite the radical resection, multiple suspected metastasis occurred in heart, lung and muscles less than 2 years after the operation and the patient died 6 months after the metastasis.

Recurrent SMARCB1 Inactivation in Epithelioid Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumors.

Epithelioid malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (EMPNST) are characterized by diffuse S-100 and SOX10 positivity, frequent immunohistochemical loss of SMARCB1 expression (70%), and rare association with neurofibromatosis type 1. Some cases arise in a preexisting epithelioid schwannoma (ESCW), which also show SMARCB1 loss in 40% of cases. To date, little is known about the genomic landscape of this distinctive variant of malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor. The aim of this study was to use targeted next-generation sequencing to identify recurrent genomic aberrations in EMPNST and a subset of ESCW, including the basis of SMARCB1 loss. Sixteen EMPNSTs (13 SMARCB1-lost, 3 SMARCB1-retained) and 5 ESCWs with SMARCB1 loss were selected for the cohort. Sequencing identified SMARCB1 gene inactivation in 12/16 (75%) EMPNST and all 5 (100%) ESCW through homozygous deletion (N=8), nonsense (N=7), frameshift (N=2), or splice site (N=2) mutations; 2 EMPNSTs harbored 2 concurrent mutations each. SMARCB1 immunohistochemistry status and SMARCB1 alterations were concordant in 20/21 of the sequenced tumors. Additional genetic alterations in a subset of EMPNST included inactivation of CDKN2A and gain of chromosome 2q. Among SMARCB1-wild-type EMPNSTs there were single cases each with NF1 and NF2 mutations. No cases had SUZ12 or EED mutations. In summary, we identified recurrent SMARCB1 alterations in EMPNST (and all 5 SMARCB1-negative ESCWs tested), supporting loss of SMARCB1 tumor suppressor function as a key oncogenic event. SMARCB1-retained EMPNSTs lack SMARCB1 mutations and harbor different driver events.

Methylation-based classification of benign and malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors

The vast majority of peripheral nerve sheath tumors derive from the Schwann cell lineage and comprise diverse histological entities ranging from benign schwannomas and neurofibromas to high-grade malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNST), each with several variants. There is increasing evidence for methylation profiling being able to delineate biologically relevant tumor groups even within the same cellular lineage. Therefore, we used DNA methylation arrays for methylome- and chromosomal profile-based characterization of 171 peripheral nerve sheath tumors. We analyzed 28 conventional high-grade MPNST, three malignant Triton tumors, six low-grade MPNST, four epithelioid MPNST, 33 neurofibromas (15 dermal, 8 intraneural, 10 plexiform), six atypical neurofibromas, 43 schwannomas (including 5 NF2 and 5 schwannomatosis associated cases), 11 cellular schwannomas, 10 melanotic schwannomas, 7 neurofibroma/schwannoma hybrid tumors, 10 nerve sheath myxomas and 10 ganglioneuromas. Schwannomas formed different epigenomic subgroups including a vestibular schwannoma subgroup. Cellular schwannomas were not distinct from conventional schwannomas. Nerve sheath myxomas and neurofibroma/schwannoma hybrid tumors were most similar to schwannomas. Dermal, intraneural and plexiform neurofibromas as well as ganglioneuromas all showed distinct methylation profiles. Atypical neurofibromas and low-grade MPNST were indistinguishable with a common methylation profile and frequent losses of CDKN2A. Epigenomic analysis finds two groups of conventional high-grade MPNST sharing a frequent loss of neurofibromin. The larger of the two groups shows an additional loss of trimethylation of histone H3 at lysine 27 (H3K27me3). The smaller one retains H3K27me3 and is found in spinal locations. Sporadic MPNST with retained neurofibromin expression did not form an epigenetic group and most cases could be reclassified as cellular schwannomas or soft tissue sarcomas. Widespread immunohistochemical loss of H3K27me3 was exclusively seen in MPNST of the main methylation cluster, which defines it as an additional useful marker for the differentiation of cellular schwannoma and MPNST.

Malignant Epithelioid Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumor With Prominent Reticular/Microcystic Pattern in a Child

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs) constitute <2% of soft tissue neoplasms in children and display a wide histologic spectrum including low-grade and epithelioid variants, although most are high-grade spindle cell sarcomas. Here, we describe an unusual case of a large retroperitoneal epithelioid MPNST diagnosed in a 7-year-old girl without family history or clinical features of neurofibromatosis type 1. The patient was treated by repeated surgical interventions, polychemotherapy, autologous stem cell transplantation, and irradiation therapy. Over the years, she developed multiple disseminated abdominal recurrences but is currently alive with very slowly progressing disseminated intra-abdominal disease 18 years from initial diagnosis. Histologically, the tumor was composed of medium-sized polygonal and ovoid-to-spindled cells set within a copious myxoid matrix with a prominent reticular and microcystic pattern reminiscent of the recently described reticular/microcystic schwannoma. Immunohistochemistry revealed strong and diffuse expression of S100, CD56, CD57, collagen IV, and neuron-specific enolase, with negativity for perineurial cell markers (claudin-1, epithelial membrane antigen, and glucose transporter-1) and other lineage-specific mesenchymal and epithelial antigens. This unusual variant of low-grade MPNST must be differentiated from a variety of other entities, in particular benign perineurioma, myxoid neurofibroma, and benign reticular/microcystic schwannoma. Confinement of the recurrent disease to the abdominal cavity emphasizes the necessity of primary curative wide excision of this highly recurring but nonmetastasizing low-grade neoplasm.

Spinal intradural malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor in a child with neurofibromatosis type 2: the first reported case and literature review.

Spinal intradural malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs) in children are extremely rare, with only five reported cases in the literature. A 9-year-old female with neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF-2) presented with right hip pain and severe weakness of bilateral legs for 3 months. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging revealed multiple intradural masses at the T11-L2, L4, and L5-S5 level respectively, and bilateral vestibular schwannomas in the cerebellopontine angle. Partial tumor excision with T11-L2 laminectomy was undertaken and the tumors in the spinal cord were consistent with the diagnosis of epithelioid MPNSTs. No adjuvant therapy was performed after surgery. No metastasis of the tumor was found in the 6-month follow-up MR imaging. She died of brain metastasis at 9 months after surgery. MPNSTs should be added to the differential diagnosis of intradural tumors of the pediatric spine, even in children with NF-2. Multidisciplinary treatment consisting of total surgical removal and adjuvant radiotherapy should be considered due to poor prognosis of this abnormality. To our knowledge, this is the first case of spinal MPNSTs in a child with NF-2 to be published in English literature.

Rapidly Progressive Epithelioid Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumor of the Vestibular Nerve

Spontaneous malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs) arising from the vestibular nerve are extremely rare. In this report, we detail the case of one such tumor including the first report of its response to radiosurgery. A 73-year-old woman presented with subacute sensorineural hearing loss, retroauricular pain, and facial nerve palsy. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was obtained demonstrating findings suggestive of a vestibular schwannoma. The patient elected for gamma knife radiosurgery and 13 gray were administered to the lesion. Repeat MRIs showed that the mass quickly regressed after radiosurgery but recurred by 5 months. Subsequent microsurgical resection revealed an aggressive epithelioid MPNST of the vestibular nerve. Interval MRI results, histopathology, and immunohistochemistry. We present radiographic and histopathologic confirmation of the malignant nature of this extremely rare lesion. We also document its rapid response after radiosurgery as further indication of the malignant nature of this lesion. Early and complete resection of internal auditory canal masses with atypical clinical courses suggestive of malignancy is the best initial option to treat these tumors with the understanding that further treatment with radiation or chemotherapy is essential.

Loss of INI1 Expression is Characteristic of Both Conventional and Proximal-type Epithelioid Sarcoma

INI1 (hSNF5/SMARCB1), a member of the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex located on chromosome 22q11.2, is deleted or/or mutated in strictly defined malignant rhabdoid tumors (MRT) of infancy. Recent studies suggest that some epithelioid sarcomas (ES) also show inactivation of INI1. However, very few cases of ES have been studied, and INI1 expression in other epithelioid malignant neoplasms has not been examined systematically. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the immunohistochemical expression of INI1 in ES compared with histologic mimics. We evaluated 350 tumors: 136 ES, including 64 conventional ("distal") ES, 64 proximal-type ES, and 8 with hybrid features of conventional and proximal-type ES; 54 metastatic carcinomas (22 from lung, 6 breast, 6 stomach, 5 colorectum, 5 kidney, 5 prostate, 5 pancreas); 12 metastatic testicular embryonal carcinomas; 20 metastatic melanomas; 20 epithelioid mesotheliomas; 20 epithelioid angiosarcomas; 10 epithelioid hemangioendotheliomas; 24 epithelioid malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNST); 22 myoepithelial carcinomas of soft tissue; 7 anaplastic large cell lymphomas; 5 histiocytic sarcomas; and 10 control MRT of infancy (4 brain, 3 liver, 2 soft tissue, 1 kidney). Immunohistochemistry was performed following pressure cooker heat-induced epitope retrieval using monoclonal antibody BAF47 (BD Biosciences). In total, 127 of 136 (93%) ES cases showed complete absence of INI1 expression, including 58 (91%) conventional ES, 61 (95%) proximal-type ES, and all 8 (100%) hybrid ES. Of the non-ES cases, 12 (50%) epithelioid MPNST also showed loss of INI1, as did 2 (9%) myoepithelial carcinomas and all control MRT cases. INI1 expression was intact in all other tumor types examined. In conclusion, similar to MRT of infancy, loss of INI1 expression is characteristic of both conventional and proximal-type ES, being detected in >90% of cases. Moreover, 50% epithelioid MPNST and occasional myoepithelial carcinomas are also negative for INI1. Immunostaining for INI1 can be used to confirm the diagnosis of ES in the appropriate context. Loss of INI1 expression may also be helpful to distinguish epithelioid MPNST from metastatic melanoma in a subset of cases.

Diagnostic Implications of Podoplanin Expression in Peripheral Nerve Sheath Neoplasms

By using the D2-40 antibody, we have observed podoplanin expression in Schwann cells and perineurial cells. Podoplanin expression has not been well characterized in peripheral nerve sheath tumors. Because neoplasms of neural crest lineage, including peripheral nerve sheath and melanocytic neoplasms, may share histologic and immunohistochemical characteristics, we evaluated podoplanin and S-100 expression in these lesions to determine the usefulness of podoplanin as a diagnostic marker. Diffuse podoplanin and S-100 expression was observed in 16 (76%) of 21 classical schwannomas, 6 (100%) of 6 cellular schwannomas, and 3 (75%) of 4 epithelioid malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (EMPNSTs). Podoplanin was expressed in 3 (7%) of 43 neurofibromas, 16 (21%) of 75 spindle cell MPNSTs (SMPNSTs), and 1 (10%) of 10 spindle cell melanomas but was absent in conventional melanoma. Only rare neurofibromas and SMPNSTs showed strong coexpression of podoplanin and S-100. These results suggest diffuse podoplanin expression or coexpression of podoplanin and S-100 is limited to schwannoma and EMPNST and may be useful in the evaluation of these neoplasms.

Tumeur maligne des gaines des nerfs périphériques type épithélioïde: A propos d’un cas

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNST) are exceptional and painful. The typical localization along a peripheral nerve is not always present. Prognosis is very poor. Diagnosis is particularly difficult because of the variable pathological presentation and unpredictable differentiation. We report an exceptional case of epithelioid differentiation in a 43-Year-old patient who complained of right thoracic pain for one and a half Years. Physical examination revealed weight loss and a paravertebral mass under the scapula. The chest x-ray showed a suprahilar opacity suggestive of parietal involvement and lysis of the sixth rib. Surgical biopsy of the parietal mass led to the diagnosis of epithelioid MPNST.