Endometrial stromal sarcoma with focal smooth muscle differentiation: recurrence after 17 years: a follow-up report with discussion of the nomenclature

Uterine Tumours Resembling Ovarian Sex-Cord Tumors: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Uterine tumors resembling ovarian sex-cord tumors (UTROSCT) are thought to develop from pluripotent uterine mesenchymal cells or endometrial stromal cells with secondary sex-cord differentiation. The patient was a 73-year-old postmenopausal woman who had abnormal vaginal bleeding, and she underwent a laparoscopic hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. The diagnosis was a case of UTROSCT. A scoping review of the UTROSCT case report present in the literature has been conducted, and 63 articles were found, of which 45 were considered for the 66 clinical cases examined. At the time of diagnosis, six metastatic localizations were found in 59 patients undergoing demolitive surgery (10.2%). Recurrences were diagnosed in 13/59 (22%) patients with multiple locations. A molecular study was performed in 18/66 cases (27.3%) and genetic alterations were found in 10/18 (55.6%) patients. UTROSCTs are considered rare uterine tumors, typically with a favorable prognosis, and are generally considered to have a good prognosis. But, from the review done, they may already manifest themselves at advanced stages, with the possibility of recurrences even at a distance. It would, therefore, be important to be able to define the most aggressive forms and, perhaps, molecular investigation with sequencing could help identify patients most at risk.

Uterine sarcomas: clinical practice guidelines for diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up, by Spanish group for research on sarcomas (GEIS)

Uterine sarcomas are very infrequent and heterogeneous entities. Due to its rarity, pathological diagnosis, surgical management, and systemic treatment are challenging. Treatment decision process in these tumors should be taken in a multidisciplinary tumor board. Available evidence is low and, in many cases, based on case series or clinical trials in which these tumors have been included with other soft tissue sarcoma. In these guidelines, we have tried to summarize the most relevant evidence in the diagnosis, staging, pathological disparities, surgical management, systemic treatment, and follow-up of uterine sarcomas.

Update on Endometrial Stromal Tumours of the Uterus

Endometrial stromal tumours (ESTs) are rare, intriguing uterine mesenchymal neoplasms with variegated histopathological, immunohistochemical and molecular characteristics. Morphologically, ESTs resemble endometrial stromal cells in the proliferative phase of the menstrual cycle. In 1966 Norris and Taylor classified ESTs into benign and malignant categories according to the mitotic count. In the most recent classification by the WHO (2020), ESTs have been divided into four categories: Endometrial Stromal Nodules (ESNs), Low-Grade Endometrial Stromal Sarcomas (LG-ESSs), High-Grade Endometrial Stromal Sarcomas (HG-ESSs) and Undifferentiated Uterine Sarcomas (UUSs). ESNs are clinically benign. LG-ESSs are tumours of low malignant potential, often with indolent clinical behaviour, with some cases presented with a late recurrence after hysterectomy. HG-ESSs are tumours of high malignant potential with more aggressive clinical outcome. UUSs show high-grade morphological features with very aggressive clinical behavior. With the advent of molecular techniques, the morphological classification of ESTs can be integrated with molecular findings in enhanced classification of these tumours. In the future, the morphological and immunohistochemical features correlated with molecular categorisation of ESTs, will become a robust means to plan therapeutic decisions, especially in recurrences and metastatic disease. In this review, we summarise the morphological, immunohistochemical and molecular features of ESTs with particular reference to the most recent molecular findings.

Autotransplantation of cryopreserved ovarian tissue in cancer survivors and the risk of reintroducing malignancy: a systematic review

BACKGROUND The risk of recurrent oncological disease due to the reintroduction of cancer cells via autotransplantation of cryopreserved ovarian tissue is unknown. METHODS A systematic review of literature derived from MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library was conducted. Studies on follow-up after autotransplantation; detection of cancer cells in ovarian tissue from oncological patients by histology, polymerase chain reaction or xenotransplantation; and epidemiological data on ovarian metastases were included. RESULTS A total of 289 studies were included. Metastases were repeatedly detected in ovarian tissue obtained for cryopreservation purposes from patients with leukaemia, as well as in one patient with Ewing sarcoma. No metastases were detected in ovarian tissue from lymphoma and breast cancer patients who had their ovarian tissue cryopreserved. Clinical studies indicated that one should be concerned about autotransplantation safety in patients with colorectal, gastric and endometrial cancer. For patients with low-stage cervical carcinoma, clinical data were relatively reassuring, but studies focused on the detection of metastases were scarce. Oncological recurrence has been described in one survivor of cervical cancer and one survivor of breast cancer who had their ovarian tissue autotransplanted, although these recurrences may not be related to the transplantation. CONCLUSIONS It is advisable to refrain from ovarian tissue autotransplantation in survivors of leukaemia. With survivors of all other malignancies, current knowledge regarding the safety of autotransplantation should be discussed. The most reassuring data regarding autotransplantation safety were found for lymphoma patients.

High Frequency of JAZF1-JJAZ1 Gene Fusion in Endometrial Stromal Tumors With Smooth Muscle Differentiation by Interphase FISH Detection

The most common cytogenetic alteration observed in low-grade endometrial stromal tumors (EST) is the t(7;17)(p15;q21) translocation, resulting in the fusion of the JAZF1 and JJAZ1 genes. By reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction, the translocation has been detected overall in one-third of ESTs, but only rarely in its variants. The purpose of this study was to develop a fluorescence in situ hybridization assay for detection of this translocation using archival paraffin-embedded samples of ESTs with smooth muscle differentiation and to assess the nature of the smooth muscle component of these tumors. Representative paraffin blocks of 9 endometrial stromal nodules and 1 low-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma were collected for the study. In 1 case, the block selected also contained areas of sex cordlike differentiation. A fluorescence in situ hybridization probe set was designed to detect the t(7;17)(p15;q12) on tissue sections. Six out of 10 collected ESTs were assessable. Fusion signals were detected in 3 out of 6 cases (50%) in both the conventional endometrial stromal and the smooth muscle components of the tumors. The tumor sample with sex cordlike differentiation harbored the fusion signal in all the 3 components. Our results support the contention that the endometrial stromal and smooth muscle components of these tumors have the same origin, either from a common precursor cell with pluripotential differentiation or from endometrial stromal cells that have undergone smooth muscle metaplasia. Our results indicate that the detection of this chromosomal abnormality can be used to diagnose ESTs with smooth muscle differentiation when the smooth muscle component is predominant.

Unusual morphologic features of endometrial stromal tumors: a report of 2 cases

Endometrial stromal tumors with typical morphology usually do not pose diagnostic problems. However, the finding of unusual morphologic features may be misleading in the final interpretation of these tumors. Herein, we described two endometrial stromal sarcomas discovered in hysterectomy specimens of women 31 and 75 years of age. Features typical of endometrial stromal neoplasia were present in both cases. Additionally, in 1 case, extensive fatty metaplasia as well as smooth and skeletal muscle metaplasia were found; and in the second case, focal bizarre nuclei, smooth muscle differentiation, and fibrous change were present. The differential diagnosis in the first case included cellular intravenous leiomyomatosis/lipoleiomyomatosis with skeletal muscle differentiation; and in the second case, a cellular smooth muscle tumor with bizarre nuclei was considered.

Molecular Detection of JAZF1-JJAZ1 Gene Fusion in Endometrial Stromal Neoplasms with Classic and Variant Histology

Endometrial stromal tumors (ESTs), including low-grade endometrial stromal sarcomas (LGESSs) and endometrial stromal nodules (ESNs) of classic histology, exhibit characteristic morphologic features and contain the nonrandom t(7;17)(p15; q21), which results in the fusion of two novel genes, JAZF1 and JJAZ1. ESTs may pose diagnostic challenges when they involve extrauterine sites, present as metastases, or display variant histologic appearances. The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of the JAZF1-JJAZ1 gene fusion among primary uterine, metastatic, and primary extrauterine ESTs of various histologic types and its role as a possible diagnostic adjunct. Using a nonnested reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction approach, we assayed for JAZF1-JJAZ1 gene fusion transcripts in 10 cases with available fresh-frozen tissue. These included five primary uterine (two classic, one mixed smooth muscle, and one epithelioid LGESS; one classic ESN), four metastatic (two fibromyxoid, one classic, and one epithelioid LGESS), and one extrauterine (classic LGESS) tumor. The same primer set and assay conditions were used on five additional paraffin-embedded cases with adequate RNA, including three primary uterine (one fibromyxoid and one mixed smooth muscle LGESS; 1 mixed smooth muscle ESN) and two intraabdominal recurrent (two mixed smooth muscle LGESSs) ESTs. Two cellular leiomyomas and one ESS cell line (ESS-1) without the t(7;17) at the cytogenetic level were run in parallel as controls. JAZF1-JJAZ1 gene fusion transcripts were detected in five (33%) of 15 ESTs, including three of eight primary uterine, one of four metastatic, one of one extrauterine, and none of two recurrent cases. Most ESTs of classic histology showed evidence of JAZF1-JJAZ1 fusion (4 of 5 cases), whereas only one mixed smooth muscle ESN of 10 variant cases was positive. Positivity for JAZF1-JJAZ1 fusion transcripts was found in four of 10 fresh-frozen samples and in one of five paraffin-embedded ESTs. The control specimens were all negative. In conclusion, our data suggest that ESTs are genetically heterogeneous, with the prevalence of the JAZF1-JJAZ1 fusion being highest among ESTs of classic histology. Hence, the diagnostic utility of a JAZF1-JJAZ1 fusion transcript assay in ESTs may be limited to the classic histologic subset.

Low-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma with intracardiac extension. Evolution of extensive smooth muscle differentiation and usefulness of immunohistochemistry for its recognition and distinction from intravenous leiomyomatosis

This case, a rare example of low-grade endometrial stroma sarcoma with extensive smooth muscle differentiation which extended to the inferior vena cava and cardiac chambers closely resembling intravenous leiomyomatosis grossly and microscopically, illustrates the importance of extensive sectioning and the usefulness of immunohistochemistry. Although spindle cell components arranged in interlacing bundles consistent with smooth muscle differentiation were recognizable in the primary tumor (on retrospective review), extensive smooth muscle differentiation in the recurrent tumors masked prototypical morphologic features of stromal sarcoma and only small neoplastic stromal components were preserved in limited areas, leading to initial failure to distinguish the lesion from intravenous leiomyomatosis. The immunophenotyping disclosed two distinct cell populations in the tumor: i.e. vimentin-positive and smooth muscle marker negative stromal cells, and vimentin-negative spindle-shaped desmin-positive smooth muscle cells. Our observation suggests that the predominance of a smooth muscle component in such a tumor can be misleading and does not always warrant a diagnosis of intravenous leiomyomatosis, nor does it predict a benign clinical course. This case also provides an insight into the relationship of the endometrial stroma and myometrium, and their cell of origin and the histogenesis of endometrial stromal sarcoma.

Mixed endometrial stromal and smooth muscle tumors of the uterus: a clinicopathologic study of 15 cases

Uterine tumors composed of a prominent component of smooth muscle (SM) and endometrial stroma (ES) (so-called stromomyomas) have received little attention in the literature. The features of 15 of these tumors, defined as those containing more than 30% of each component, were evaluated. Many of the tumors were referred because of problems in the differential diagnosis. Patient age ranged from 29 to 68 years (mean, 46 years). The tumors ranged from 3 to 27 cm (average 9.6 cm) in diameter, and most were grossly well circumscribed. The sectioned surfaces often had soft, tan-yellow areas admixed with firm, whorled areas. Microscopic evaluation disclosed that nine tumors were well circumscribed, and six had infiltrating tongues typical of endometrial stromal sarcoma (ESS). The endometrial stromal component, which predominated in five cases, typically was characterized by a diffuse growth of closely packed, minimally atypical small cells accompanied by numerous arterioles and was desmin-negative in all cases tested, except for rare desmin-positive cells in three tumors. Five tumors showed sex-cord-like differentiation in these areas. The smooth muscle component, which predominated in seven cases, was composed predominantly of spindle cells in disorganized short fascicles, longer fascicles, or nodules with prominent central hyalinization. This component appeared benign, except in one case with moderate cytologic atypia, focal tumor cell necrosis, and 4 mitotic figures/10 high-power fields. The smooth muscle component was strongly desmin-positive in all the tumors tested. Follow-up of more than 1 year was available for seven patients. Six patients were alive and well, but one tumor with infiltrative borders recurred at 48 months as a pure endometrial stromal sarcoma. Mixed endometrial stromal and smooth muscle tumors should be distinguished from highly cellular leiomyomas, pure endometrial stromal tumors, and "uterine tumors resembling ovarian sex cord tumors," at least until knowledge of their clinicopathologic features is more complete. For treatment purposes, these tumors should be reported as endometrial stromal nodules or as endometrial stromal sarcomas with smooth muscle differentiation and any unusual features of either component recorded in a notation.