Soft Tissue Pathology Flashcards
Soft Tissues
Non-epithelial extraskeletal tissues except CNS and reticuloendothelial system.
Mesodermal in origin:
Fat, fibrous tissue, smooth and skeletal muscle, blood vessels
and lymphatics
Soft Tissue
Tumors
- Uncommon
- Most are benign (5:1)
- Often present diagnostic difficulties
- Frequently located deep in the extremities and present as a painless mass
- ~ 1,600 deaths/year from soft tissue tumors in USA
- Most are in children and young adults
- 5th leading cause of death from cancer in children
WHO Classification
50 subtypes of sarcoma:
- Adipocytic
- Fibroblastic/myofibroblastic
- Fibrohistiocytic
- Smooth muscle
- Pericytic (perivascular)
- Skeletal muscle
- Vascular
- Chondro-osseous
- Tumours of uncertain differentiation
Biological Potential
-
Benign
- Rarely recur and if so, in a non-destructive fashion
- < 1/50,000 metastasize
- Unpredictable based on histology
- Ex. cutaneous fibrous histiocytoma
-
Intermediate (locally aggressive)
- Often recur
- Infiltrative and locally destructive
- Ex. desmoid fibromatosis
- Very low metastatic potential
-
Intermediate (rarely metastasizing)
- Locally aggressive with < 2% metastases
- Ex. plexiform fibrohistiocytic tumor
-
Malignant
- Locally destructive growth
- Potential for recurrence
- Recurrences may be of higher grade and greater potential for spread
- Significant risk of distant metastasis (20–100%)
- Low grade sarcomas may have only 2–10% rate of metastasis
- Typically spread via blood to lungs
- Does not usually invade lymph nodes
- Ex. myxofibrosarcoma, leiomyosarcoma
Sarcomagenesis
Not clearly understood:
-
Progressive pattern not well established
- Unlike epithelial neoplasms: in situ precursor lesions ⇒ dysplasia ⇒ malignancy
-
Often do not arise from their corresponding mature adult tissue
- Progenitor cell remains unclear
-
Histogenesis or cell of origin replaced by differentiation
- Rhabdomyosarcoma dx by presence of primitive skeletal muscle cells and IHC of muscle markers
- Many tumors arise in sites where skeletal muscle is sparse or absent
- No evidence that liposarcomas either originate from mature fat or represent malignant transformation of lipomas
- Rhabdomyosarcoma dx by presence of primitive skeletal muscle cells and IHC of muscle markers
Histologic Grading
3 grade system
- Mitotic index & tumor necrosis ⇒ most important features
-
Indicates probability of metastasis and overall survival
- High grade tumors usu. more responsive to chemotherapy
- Does NOT predict recurrence (mainly related to surgical margins)
- Only for untreated primary soft tissue sarcomas
- Not applicable for all sarcomas
- E.g. MPNST, angiosarcoma, extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma, alveolar soft part sarcoma, clear cell sarcoma and epithelioid sarcoma
Sarcomas
Clinical Pearls
- Some benign lesions may not be well-delineated
- Often appear well-circumscribed grossly but almost always infiltrate adjacent tissue at the microscopic level
- No true capsule exists
- Any deeply seated soft tissue tumor should be considered malignant until proven otherwise
- Metastasize via bloodstream (hematogenous spread)
- Most have a predilection for a certain anatomic region and age group
- Histomorphologic pattern and cellularity may vary in different areas
Fibrous Tumor-like Conditions
-
Reactive pseudosarcomatous lesions
- Nodular fasciitis
- Myositis ossificans
-
Fibromatoses
-
Superficial fibromatoses
- Palmar (Dupuytren contracture), knuckle pads, plantar, penile (Peyronie disease)
-
Deep fibromatoses (Desmoid tumor)
- Extra-abdominal
- Abdominal (mesenteric)
-
Superficial fibromatoses
Nodular Fasciitis
Overview
Reactive pseudosarcomatous lesion:
- Most common pseudosarcoma
- Adults
- Locations:
- Volar aspect of forearm
- Chest
- Back
- Solitary, rapidly growing (within weeks), sometimes painful mass
- Preceding trauma reported in 10-15% of cases
Nodular Fasciitis
Characteristics
- Plump fibroblasts (myofibroblasts)
-
Myxoid to fibrous background
- Collagenization progresses with time
- Extravasated RBCs and microcysts are common
- Lymphocytes and giant cells often present
- Mitotic rate is high (no atypical mitotic figures)
-
Typical myofibroblastic IHC:
- SMA and calponin ⊕
- Desmin and caldesmon ⊖
- Recent data indicates fusion of non-muscle myosin (MYH9) gene with USP6 oncogene in NF ⇒ suggests that it is a benign self-limiting neoplasm
Myositis Ossificans
Reactive pseudosarcomatous lesion:
- Athletic adolescents and young adults
- 50% of cases report previous trauma
-
Early phase:
- Swollen and painful
- Appearance similar to nodular fasciitis
-
Middle phase (within three weeks):
- Less painful, firmer
- Zonation ⇒ bone trabeculae at periphery and immature fibroblasts in center
-
Late phase:
- Painless, hard, well-circumscribed mass
- Complete bone metaplasia
Fibromatosis
Overview
Fibrous overgrowths of dermal and subcutaneous connective tissue develop tumours called fibromas.
Are usually benign.
Superficial Fibromatoses
- Palmar ⇒ Dupuytren contracture
- Knuckle pads
- Plantar ⇒ Ledderhose disease
- Penile ⇒ Peyronie disease
Deep Fibromatoses (Desmoid Tumors)
Overview
- No metastases
- Infiltrative pattern
- Local destruction
-
Therapy:
- Complete and wide excision
- Recurrence rate 25-80%
- Radiation therapy
- Complete and wide excision
Deep Fibromatoses
Types
Abdominal vs Extra-abdominal
Gardner Syndrome
Associated pathologies include:
- Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP)
- Osteomas
- Dental anomalies
- Epidermal inclusion cysts
- Colorectal carcinoma
- Desmoid tumor
Turcot Syndrome
Associated pathologies include:
- Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP)
- Desmoid tumor
- Medulloblastoma
Fibrohistiocytic Tumors
-
Benign
- Benign Fibrohistiocytoma
- Dermatofibroma (DF)
- Sclerosing hemangioma
- Histiocytoma
- Benign Fibrohistiocytoma
-
Malignant
- Dermatofibrosarcoma protruberans (DFSP)
- Malignant fibrohistiocytoma (MFH)
- Storiform
- Pleomorphic
- Myxoid
- Giant cell
- Inflammatory
- Angiomatoid