Mullerian adenosarcomas: an immunophenotypic analysis of 35 cases

Fine-needle aspiration cytology diagnosis of metastatic nonhaematological neoplasms of the breast: a series of seven cases

Metastatic neoplasms of the breast are rare. Mammary metastases as the initial presentation are even more infrequent and can simulate a primary malignancy clinically and radiologically. Recognition of metastatic tumors in the breast is important because it would prevent unnecessary mutilating surgery and would lead to appropriate treatment of the primary tumor. There is a broad variety of cytological appearances reported about primary tumors and few reports about secondary breast malignancies, specially diagnosed by FNAC. This study was carried out to examine the clinical and cytomorphologic features of metastatic breast tumors found in 12 de Octubre University Hospital during a period of 20 years. It confirms the utility of FNAC and describes findings that can help in the differential diagnosis that sometimes can be very difficult. Seven cases of nonhematological metastatic neoplasms of the breast were identified from the files of the Department of Pathology of the 12 de Octubre University Hospital from a total of 64,000 aspirates. We included only metastatic tumors from extramammary nonhematological neoplasms. There were nine cases of hematological metastatic neoplasm that were excluded. They were diagnosed with FNAC and confirmed by histopathology, with at least three years of follow up. The breast lump was the first manifestation of malignancy in one case of synovial sarcoma. The other six cases had been previously diagnosed of cancer. These included one malignant melanoma, one alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma, one mixed müllerian tumor, one medullary carcinoma of thyroid, one colonic adenocarcinoma, and one gastric adenocarcinoma. The period of time between primary tumor and metastases ranged from one month to eight years. An accurate cytologic diagnosis was made in all the cases. Immunocytochemistry was available but diagnosis could be made with cytomorphology alone in the seven cases. Fine-needle aspiration cytology is an excellent first line diagnostic modality that is particularly informative when clinical previous data are known. If metastatic disease is suspected, the material obtained by FNAC may provide a definitive diagnosis and prevent open surgical biopsy or mastectomy. We concur with previous reports that FNAC is a reliable, rapid, secure, and cost-effective approach to the diagnosis of palpable metastatic breast tumors.

Mullerian adenosarcoma of the female genital tract

Mullerian adenosarcoma is an uncommon, but not rare, mixed tumor containing a neoplastic but benign or mildly atypical epithelial element and a sarcomatous, usually low-grade, stromal component. The most common site is the uterine corpus but adenosarcoma also occurs in the cervix and ovary and more rarely in the vagina, fallopian tube, arising from peritoneal surfaces, or outside the female genital tract, for example in the intestine. Most uterine cases have a polypoid gross appearance, sometimes resulting in the formation of multiple polyps. Characteristic histologic features include a low power "phyllodes-like" architecture with leaf-like projections lined by a variety of benign Mullerian type epithelia, sometimes with squamous metaplasia. Intraglandular stromal protrusions are a characteristic feature. The stroma may be uniformly cellular but there is typically increased cellularity around the epithelial elements, resulting in the formation of a cambium layer. Using the World Health Organization definition, stromal mitotic activity of 2 or more per 10 high-power fields is required for a diagnosis of adenosarcoma but in practice the diagnosis is made with stromal mitotic activity less than this if the characteristic architecture and cambium layer is present. The stromal component is usually morphologically "low-grade" and of endometrial stromal or fibroblastic type (hormone receptor and CD10 positive). Sometimes it is high grade, resembling undifferentiated sarcoma. Additional features sometimes present include heterologous stromal elements or sex cord-like differentiation. Uterine adenosarcomas are, in general, low-grade neoplasms capable of local recurrence after polypectomy or hysterectomy and much less commonly distant metastasis. The 2 most important adverse prognostic factors, which sometimes coexist, are deep myometrial invasion and sarcomatous overgrowth; the latter is usually associated with morphologically "high-grade" stromal elements with loss of expression of hormone receptors and CD10. Adenosarcoma may be confused with a variety of lesions and one of the main differential diagnoses is adenofibroma in which the stromal component is, by definition, morphologically benign. However, occasional adenofibromas recur or even metastasize. As such, it has been suggested that all adenofibromas should be classified as adenosarcomas, albeit with low-malignant potential. Ovarian adenosarcomas are much more likely to exhibit malignant behavior than their uterine counterparts, probably due to the lack of an anatomic barrier to peritoneal dissemination.

Uterine adenosarcomas overgrown by sex-cord-like tumour: report of two cases

Müllerian adenosarcomas are tumours of low malignant potential with proliferation of benign glands and low grade endometrial stromal sarcoma (LGESS). Unusually, the latter may include foci of uterine tumours resembling ovarian sex-cord tumours (UTROSCT). Two cases of uterine adenosarcomas massively overgrown by UTROSCT are reported, for the first time. The patients, aged 71 and 64, one receiving tamoxifen, presented with intracavitary polypoid adenosarcomas; each was overgrown by an immunopathologically characteristic UTROSCT that constituted more than 75% of its volume. Periglandular CD10+LGESS represented less than 25%. Both are alive and well after 5 and 3 years, respectively. Compared to the poor prognosis of adenosarcomas overgrown by high grade sarcomata, the cases reported here had a benign behaviour. Quantitative assessment of volume percentage of the potentially aggressive LGESS, CD10+ areas should be considered as a relevant prognostic histological parameter in these tumours.

Endometrial/ioid Stromal Tumors and Related Neoplasms of the Female Genital Tract

Endometrial/ioid stromal tumors comprise a spectrum of mesenchymal neoplasms, ranging from benign to low-grade malignancy to undifferentiated sarcomas, which occur predominantly in the uterus but may rarely originate at extrauterine sites, most commonly in the ovary. These tumors and their morphologic variants are important to recognize as they often cause diagnostic difficulties. This review focuses on the diagnostic criteria and differential diagnosis, including the role of immunohistochemistry.

Immunohistochemical Markers of Value in the Diagnosis of Mesenchymal Lesions of the Female Genital Tract

Pure mesenchymal tumors may occur anywhere in the female genital tract, but they are most common in the uterine corpus, leiomyoma being by far the most prevalent. These tumors, and other uncommon mesenchymal lesions within the uterine corpus and elsewhere in the female genital tract, may result in several diagnostic problems. Morphology remains paramount and, in most cases, an unequivocal diagnosis can be made based on examination of the hematoxylin and eosin stained sections, combined with an appreciation of the clinical and gross pathologic features. In difficult cases, immunohistochemistry can significantly contribute to the final diagnosis. In this article, the immunohistochemistry of neoplastic and nonneoplastic mesenchymal lesions of the female genital tract is discussed site by site, concentrating on markers that are of value in diagnosis and in differential diagnosis. The immunophenotype of mixed epithelial and mesenchymal neoplasms and pure epithelial neoplasms with a component of spindle cells is discussed, where appropriate, because these can enter into the differential diagnosis of a pure mesenchymal lesion.

Mixed Müllerian Tumors of the Female Genital Tract

Malignant mixed müllerian tumor (MMMT) and müllerian/mesodermal adenosarcoma are 2 of the most common mixed müllerian tumors of the female genital tract. MMMT is a biphasic neoplasm, composed of morphologically malignant epithelial and stromal components. MMMT should be distinguished from endometrioid adenocarcinoma with spindle cell elements, "dedifferentiated" endometrioid carcinoma, and combined adenocarcinoma and neuroendocrine carcinoma. Adenosarcoma is also biphasic; it is composed of morphologically benign or low-grade appearing epithelial components and malignant stromal components. The differential diagnosis of adenosarcoma includes MMMT, endometrial stromal tumor containing endometrioid glands, benign endometrial or endocervical polyp, adenofibroma, adenomyoma, including atypical polypoid adenomyoma, botryoid embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma (sarcoma botryoides), and endometriosis, including polypoid endometriosis. Gross and microscopic features, including immunophenotype, should permit discrimination of the various entities.

Uterine sarcomas: a review

OBJECTIVE

Uterine sarcomas are rare tumors that account for 3% of uterine cancers. Their histopathologic classification was revised by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2003. A new staging system has been recently designed by the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO). Currently, there is no consensus on risk factors for adverse outcome. This review summarizes the available clinicopathological data on uterine sarcomas classified by the WHO diagnostic criteria.

METHODS

Medline was searched between 1976 and 2009 for all publications in English where the studied population included women diagnosed of uterine sarcomas.

RESULTS

Since carcinosarcomas (malignant mixed mesodermal tumors or MMMT) are currently classified as metaplastic carcinomas, leiomyosarcomas remain the most common uterine sarcomas. Exclusion of several histologic variants of leiomyoma, as well as "smooth muscle tumors of uncertain malignant potential," frequently misdiagnosed as sarcomas, has made apparent that leiomyosarcomas are associated with poor prognosis even when seemingly confined to the uterus. Endometrial stromal sarcomas are indolent tumors associated with long-term survival. Undifferentiated endometrial sarcomas exhibiting nuclear pleomorphism behave more aggressively than tumors showing nuclear uniformity. Adenosarcomas have a favorable prognosis except for tumors showing myometrial invasion or sarcomatous overgrowth. Adenofibromas may represent well-differentiated adenosarcomas. The prognosis of carcinosarcomas (which are considered here in a post-script fashion) is usually worse than that of grade 3 endometrial carcinomas. Immunohistochemical expression of Ki67, p53, and p16 is significantly higher in leiomyosarcomas and undifferentiated endometrial sarcomas than in endometrial stromal sarcomas.

CONCLUSIONS

Evaluation of H&E stained sections has been equivocal in the prediction of behavior of uterine sarcomas. Immunohistochemical studies of oncoproteins as well as molecular analysis of non-random translocations will undoubtedly lead to an accurate and prognostically relevant classification of these rare tumors.

Undifferentiated Endometrial Sarcoma of the Ovary: A Case Report with Review of Recent Literature and Discussion of Lacking Specificity of CD10 Immunoreactivity

Undifferentiated endometrial sarcomas (UESs) of the ovary are very rare tumors. This paper presents a case of a 56-year-old patient with a history of hysterectomy and bilateral salpingectomy seven years ago for uterine leiomyomata. Intraoperatively, a tumor originating from the left ovary, adherent to the sigmoid colon, with infiltration of the small intestine and the vaginal apex was found. Histologically, the tumor was composed of pleomorphic round and oval to spindled cells with polymorphous vesicular nuclei with coarse chromatin and large nucleoli. Mitotic activity was brisk. There were large necrotic areas. Adjacent to the tumor tissue endometrium-like glands surrounded by fibrous stroma with macrophages corresponding to ovarian endometriosis were noted. Tumor cells showed diffuse strong immunoreactivity for vimentin and patchy strong staining for CD10; no reactivities were found for AE1/AE3, desmin, S-100, LCA, CD20, c-kit, and CD31. The patient died of her neoplastic disease four months postoperatively. CD10 is frequently expressed in different gynecopathological as well as other lesions, and, thus, nonspecific without relevance to the classification of this case. Morphological features, extensive sampling, and appropriate immunohistochemistry including markers for cytokeratins and myogenic differentiation are mandatory to arrive at the correct diagnosis.

Extragenital adenosarcoma: a case report, review of the literature, and management discussion

BACKGROUND

Müllerian adenosarcoma is a rare mixed epithelial-mesenchymal tumor. An extragenital site of origin and sarcomatous overgrowth are associated with aggressive clinical behavior.

CASE

We present a rare case of extragenital adenosarcoma with sarcomatous overgrowth and coexistent endometriosis. She was treated with initial cytoreductive surgery and chemotherapy. She underwent a second surgery for management of a high-grade bowel obstruction, due to pathologically confirmed recurrent intraperitoneal adenosarcoma. A complete clinical response was achieved with liposomal doxorubicin, and the patient remains disease-free eighteen months after completion of chemotherapy.

CONCLUSION

Liposomal doxorubicin appears to be an active agent for the treatment of adenosarcoma with sarcomatous overgrowth. In addition, we conclude from our review of all reported cases of extragenital adenosarcoma that concurrent endometriosis may represent a favorable prognostic factor.

[Uterine sarcoma treatment]

There are many common features between uterine sarcomas - leiomyosarcoma, endometrial stromal sarcoma, undifferentiated endometrial sarcoma and adenosarcoma -with regards to course, therapy and follow-up, such as post-menopausal bleeding or additional premenopausal bleeding, as well as rapid growth. There is a new staging system according to FIGO and new therapy recommendations according to NCCN. Prior to therapy, imaging staging of the pelvis, abdomen and chest should be carried out due to the frequency with which metastases are found at the time of diagnosis. In the case of disease spread in uterine sarcomas and malignant mixed tumors, good supportive therapy is a possible therapy option instead of chemo- or radiotherapy. The approach - observation, surgery, lymphonodectomy, mono- or polychemotherapy, radiotherapy, hormone therapy - is chosen according to the extent of spread and the resection status. Neoadjuvant therapies are not as yet established.

Calretinin: diagnostic utility in the female genital tract

The utility of calretinin was first described in the diagnosis of mesothelioma. In the female genital tract, calretinin was initially reported in Wolffian remnants and related lesions and later used in the diagnosis of sex cord stromal tumors of the ovary, endometrial stromal tumors with sex cord-like differentiation, and uterine tumors resembling sex cord tumors of the ovary. This review discusses calretinin expression in normal tissues of the female genital tract and highlights its potential utility in the diagnosis of these subsets of neoplasms with emphasis to tumors that may constitute a problem in their differential diagnosis. In particular, the limited utility of calretinin in the diagnosis of sex cord stromal tumors of the ovary, in the differential diagnosis between mesothelioma and serous tumors involving the ovary and/or peritoneum, and in the differential diagnosis between Wolffian lesions and endometrial carcinoma are addressed.