Retrospective and comparative study of inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor of the liver

Liver transplantation for hilar inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor: Case report and review of the literature

BACKGROUND

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors (IMTs) of the liver are rare neoplasms. These tumors are difficult to distinguish from other neoplasms by radiological examination, have uncertain evolution, and there is no consensus on the treatment of these lesions. Hilar tumors can involve the portal vein, hepatic artery, bile duct, and spread to the branches of the portal triad, causing obstructive symptoms, occlusive phlebitis, and portal hypertension. Thus, liver transplantation (LT) is an excellent alternative for locally advanced hilar tumors, since it ensures complete tumor resection with free margins.

METHODS/RESULTS

We present a literature review and a case report showing a 3-year-old boy with liver IMT invading the hepatic hilum and inferior vena cava, who underwent a successful living donor liver transplantation that required portal vein and vena cava replacement.

CONCLUSION

The incidence of hilar IMTs is low and there is no well-established standard treatment. Liver transplantation for a hilar tumor with vascular invasion was acceptable in this case because the radically of the surgery was the key for the cure, and because the tumor was benign in nature.

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor of the neck with thyroid invasion: a case report and literature review

Inflammatory myofibroblast tumor (IMT) is a unique intermediate soft tissue tumor, comprising myofibroblasts/fibroblasts, with infiltrating plasma cells, lymphocytes, and/or eosinophils. IMT, first reported in 1939 in the lung or pleura, is most common in children or adolescents and in the lungs; however, it can also occur in other tissues. The exact etiology and pathogenesis of IMT are yet to be clarified. Virus-induced trauma, surgery, autoimmune etiology, inflammation, infection, and abnormal responses to long-standing exogenous stimuli in the body, dominated by myofibroblast proliferation, can lead to IMT development. Most patients with IMT have masses, with or without physical manifestations, including fever, weight loss, and various clinical laboratory abnormalities. Surgical resection is the main treatment. IMT is not common in the head and neck region, and additional thyroid involvement is rare. A male patient presented a rapidly growing neck mass was treated and diagnosed with IMT in the neck and thyroid involvement in our hospital in September 2018 by successful surgical resection. Follow-up for 6 months showed no recurrence or metastasis. We review the etiology, clinical features, pathological features, treatment, and prognosis of IMT, with the aim of improving the diagnosis and treatment of this condition in the head and neck region.

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor of the liver: A case report and review of literature

BACKGROUND

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors of the liver (IMTL) are extremely rare neoplasms and very little is known about their clinical presentation, pathogenesis, and biological behavior. Due to their absolute rarity, it is almost impossible to obtain a definite diagnosis without histological examination. Because of their intermediate biological behavior with the risk for local recurrence and metastases, surgical resection is recommend whenever IMTL is suspect.

CASE SUMMARY

We herein present a case of an otherwise healthy 32-year-old woman who presented with intermittent fever, unclear anemia, malaise and right flank pain 4 mo postpartum. The liver mass in segment IVa/b was highly FDG avid in the positron emission tomography-computed tomography. Hepatic resection was performed achieving a negative resection margin and an immediate resolution of all clinical symptoms. Histological analysis diagnosed the rare finding of an inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor of the liver and revealed cytoplasmic anaplastic lymphoma kinase expression by immunohistochemistry. Twelve months follow-up magnetic resonance imaging showed no recurrence and no metastases in the fully recovered patient.

CONCLUSION

IMTLs are extremely rare and difficult to diagnose. Due to their intermediate biological behavior, surgical resection should be perform whenever feasible and patients should be followed-up in order to detect recurrence and metastasis as early as possible.

An inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor in the transplanted liver displaying quick wash-in and wash-out on contrast-enhanced ultrasound: A case report

RATIONALE

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) is an uncommon mesenchymal neoplasm, and its presence in a grafted liver is exceedingly rare.

PATIENT CONCERNS

A 54-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with a half-month history of intermittent melena. She had undergone deceased-donor liver transplantation (LT) for hepatitis B virus related liver cirrhosis without hepatocellular carcinoma 5 months previously.

DIAGNOSIS

Laboratory examination showed impaired liver and renal functions and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection, but tumor markers within normal ranges. Gastroscopy showed esophageal varices. Ultrasound and computed tomography angiography revealed an ill-defined and irregular solitary lesion in the porta hepatis, encasing both the portal vein and the hepatic artery. The lesion was characterized by arterial hyper-enhancement and hypo-enhancement in the remaining phases with contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS). The lesion was finally confirmed as an IMT by ultrasound-guided biopsy.

INTERVENTION

The patient received conservative treatment, including immunosuppression, endoscopic variceal ligation, antibiotics, steroids, and antiviral agents.

OUTCOME

The patient's gastrointestinal bleeding was controlled, but the symptoms associated with portal hypertension worsened. Attempts to perform a transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt were unsuccessful, and she unfortunately died soon after.

LESSONS

A differential diagnosis of IMT should be considered in LT recipients presenting with EBV infection, normal tumor markers, and a de novo hepatic lesion with quick wash-in and wash-out on CEUS. Ultrasound is associated with the advantages of convenience and nonionizing radiation, and should thus be the priority approach for monitoring transplanted liver.

Analysis of clinical features and outcomes for inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors in China: 11 years of experience at a single center

PURPOSE

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) is a rare benign neoplasm. The purpose of this study was to review the clinical characteristics, imaging and pathological features, and outcomes of children with IMTs from a single center in China.

METHODS

A retrospective file review was conducted involving 23 cases of pathologically confirmed IMTs treated at the Children's Hospital between April 2003 and April 2014.

RESULTS

The tumor locations included multiple anatomic sites, as follows: abdomen or pelvis (n = 17); lungs (n = 2); head and neck (n = 1); trunk (n = 1); and extremities (n = 2). The tumors were associated with various clinical presentations. The predominant symptoms included an anemic appearance, fevers, and an asymptomatic mass. Computed tomography scanning showed solid, heterogeneous, well-demarcated masses; the appearance of enhancement was variable. MRI appeared hypointense on T1-weighted images and hypointense or hyperintense on T2-weighted images. Immunohistochemical staining revealed anaplastic lymphoma kinase was negative in 11 of 13 cases tested. One patient quit treatment for the unresectable mass after biopsy and died 2 years later, and another patient with incompletely resection is alive at 30 months following chemotherapy. The remaining 21 cases had complete resections; one patient died due to a recurrence, and the other 20 patients survived and were tumor free. The follow-up ranged from 7 to 141 months, with a mean of 56 months. The 3-year OS was 88 % (95 % CI, 57-97 %).

CONCLUSIONS

IMT is a benign neoplasm that rarely presents with malignant features. Complete resection is curative in most patients. ALK+ is variable for diagnosis. Close follow-up is necessary for patients who undergo surgical resection.