Development of a calcifying fibrous pseudotumour within a lesion of Castleman disease, hyaline-vascular subtype

Unicentric Castleman Disease: Illustration of Its Morphologic Spectrum and Review of the Differential Diagnosis

CONTEXT.—

Unicentric Castleman disease (UCD) is a dynamic entity with a wide spectrum of morphologic findings. UCD can be further subdivided into hyaline-vascular and mixed/plasmacytic variants. Hyaline-vascular UCD has both follicular and interfollicular (stromal) changes, and occasionally these lesions show a skewed representation of either the follicular or stromal compartments. Plasmacytosis is usually minimal in the hyaline-vascular variant. The mixed/plasmacytic variant of UCD is composed of sheets of plasma cells often associated with a variable number of follicles with regressive changes.

OBJECTIVE.—

To illustrate the differential diagnosis of UCD, as it is quite broad and includes lymphomas, plasma cell neoplasms, stromal neoplasms such as follicular dendritic cell sarcoma and vascular neoplasms, immunoglobulin G4-related disease, infections, and other rare lesions. An additional objective is to enhance awareness of the morphologic features of UCD in excisional and in small core-needle biopsy specimens, the latter of which may inadvertently target follicle- or stroma-rich areas, causing diagnostic challenges.

DATA SOURCES.—

In this review, we provide readers a concise illustration of the morphologic spectrum of UCD that we have encountered in our practice and a brief discussion of entities in the differential diagnosis.

CONCLUSIONS.—

UCD exhibits a broad spectrum of morphologic changes, and awareness of these morphologic variations is key to avoid misdiagnosis.

Calcifying fibrous tumor of the gastrointestinal tract: A clinicopathologic review and update

Calcifying fibrous tumor (CFT) is a rare mesenchymal lesion that has been documented throughout the gastrointestinal tract. Gastrointestinal CFTs may occur at virtually any age, with a predilection for adults and for females. They occur most commonly in the stomach and the small and large intestines. CFTs are most often found incidentally, cured by local resection, and have a low risk of recurrence. Histology shows three characteristic features: Spindle cell proliferations within a densely hyalinized stroma, scattered calcifications, and lymphoplasmacytic inflammation. CFTs are immunoreactive for CD34, vimentin and factor XIIIa, helping to distinguish them from other benign mesenchymal neoplasms. The differential diagnosis of CFTs includes sclerosing gastrointestinal stromal tumor, leiomyoma, schwannoma, solitary fibrous tumor, inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor, plexiform fibromyxoma, fibromatosis, sclerosing mesenteritis, and reactive nodular fibrous pseudotumor. The pathogenesis of CFTs remains unclear, but some have hypothesized that they may be linked to IgG4-related disease, inflammatory myofibroblastic lesions, hyaline vascular type Castleman disease, sclerosing angiomatoid nodular transformation of the spleen, or trauma.

[Idiopathic multicentric Castleman's disease]

Idiopathic multicentric Castlemans disease is a rare lymphoproliferative disorder that has many similar laboratory, radiological, clinical and pathological manifestations with various conditions, including IgG4-related disease. Increased activity of cytokines, especially interleukin-6, leads to systemic inflammatory symptoms with the development of lymphadenopathy and rarely extranodal lesions. Histological changes in the lymph nodesin hyaline vascular and plasma cell variants of Castlemans disease are hardly distinguishable from the pattern of reactive, tumor and IgG4-related lymphadenopathy. Idiopathic multicentric Castlemans disease can be diagnosed only when infection with human herpesvirus-8 type and human immunodeficiency virus is excluded. In the article, the authors describe two cases of idiopathic multicentric Castlemans disease, including the first world literature description of extranodal damage of the hip muscle in this disorder. In addition, the authors gave a review of the literature on the main clinical, laboratory and morphological manifestations, which allow confirming the diagnosis of Castlemans disease.

Castleman's disease associated with calcifying fibrous tumor: A rare association with review of literature

Castleman's disease is a rare disease characterized by unicentric or multicentric enlargement of the lymph node, and it is mostly of the hyaline vascular type. Calcifying fibrous tumor is a neoplasm characterized by large areas of hyalinized collagen with paucicellular areas along with dystrophic calcification and scattered lymphoplasmacytic infiltrates. There are only five case reports to describe an association between these two entities. We report a case of a 38-year-old male with seropositivity for hepatitis B virus presenting with a right-sided cervical swelling. Fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) was done, and a diagnosis of follicular hyperplasia was offered. Biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of Castleman's disease. However, there was associated calcifying fibrous tumor in the lymph node induced by trauma due to FNAC.

Calcifying fibrous tumour: An IgG4-related disease or not?

Calcifying fibrous tumour (CFT) has some of the histopathological features, such as abundant plasma cells and stromal fibrosis, that are exhibited by IgG4-related diseases (IgG4-RD). The possible role of IgG4-positive plasma cells in calcifying fibrous tumour was investigated. The aim of this study was to determine any potential relationship between IgG4-RD and CFT. Thirteen cases with a total of 16 CFTs were reviewed. Lesion samples were immunostained with anti-IgG4 and anti-IgG antibodies. The number of IgG4-positive and IgG-positive plasma cells (IgG + PC) and their ratios were estimated. Plasma cells were found in all tumours. IgG4-positive plasma cells ranged from 0 to 71 per high-power field (HPF; mean 17.8/HPF), and IgG + PC ranged from 2 to 93/HPF (mean 42.6/HPF). The IgG4/IgG ratio ranged from 0% to 80% (mean 29%). There were seven tumours with the ratio of IgG4/IgG + PC that exceeded 40%. Various degrees of stromal fibrosis were present in eight tumours. All tumours have variable calcification. The histopathological features of CFT were found to be similar to those of IgG4-RD. Some CFT also showed a high number of IgG4-positive plasma cells, and the ratio of IgG4/IgG + PC exceeded 40%, most notably in patients with concomitant inflammatory or autoimmune disease. The long-term follow-up showed no evidence of IgG4-RD in any of these patients. Our findings suggest that while CFT overlaps morphologically with IgG4-RD, it probably should not be classified as an IgG4-RD.

Calcified fibrous pseudotumor with Castleman disease

Simultaneous calcified fibrous pseudotumor (CFT) and Castleman disease (CD) is an extremely rare association. CD is an uncommon lymphoproliferative disease that can arise in various sites of the body, while CFT is a rare type of benign fibrous lesion that frequently affects children and young adults, occurring as solitary or multiple lesions throughout the human body. Both entities are rare and exhibit typical and diverse histomorphological features. We report the case of a 15-year-old female patient, who, at the age of 13 had a biopsy performed at an external medical center; however, after 4 months the lesion had regrown. This lesion was removed with a surgical operation; however, it regrew 2 years later and was removed a third time. The results of the latter two biopsies were the same: CFT accompanying CD. The histologic examination of the excised lymph node and the surrounding tissue showed hyalinized fibrous tissue containing dystrophic and psammomatous calcification. In this case, the hyaline vascular type of CD was found to be intertwined with a CFT, which hampered the differentiation of whether both entities emerged within the lymph node or if the CFT developed from the soft tissue and then involved the lymph node. Future studies involving larger case series will provide a more precise insight, which should serve to resolve the current uncertainty.

A rare stroma-rich variant of hyaline-vascular Castleman's disease associated with calcifying fibrous pseudotumor

OBJECTIVES

The stroma-rich variant of hyaline-vascular type of Castleman's disease (SR-HVCD) should be differentiated from vascular or follicular dendritic reticulum cell neoplasms. In this paper, we present a rare case of HVCD. We also suspect a possible association between SR-HVCD and calcifying fibrous pseudotumor.

METHODS

A 34-year-old man was found an abdominal mass by computed tomography (CT) in a general health checkup. The mass was resected from the mesenteric root. The specimens were evaluated for detailed characterizations through gross examination, microscopy and immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS

The mass showed histologic patterns and immunohistochemical results of HVCD with significant angiomyoid proliferations, collagenation and focal calcification. Histologically, stromal elements of HVCD in our case were similar to those of a calcifying fibrous pseudotumour.

CONCLUSIONS

A possible association was suspected between SR-HVCD and calcifying fibrous pseudotumor. To the best of our knowledge, this is the fourth report of describing an association between the two diseases in the English literature.

Extranodal Castleman disease of the extremities: a case report and review of the literature

Castleman disease is a rare lymphoproliferative disorder of unknown etiology that most commonly presents as a mediastinal nodal mass or, in the extranodal form of the disease, a mass located in the mediastinum or retroperitoneum. It is exceptionally uncommon for Castleman disease to present in the extremities. We report a rare case of extranodal Castleman disease presenting as a muscular forearm mass. We compare our case with the seven other reported cases in which Castleman disease presented as an isolated soft tissue mass in the extremities.

Calcifying fibrous tumor: an unrecognized IgG4--related disease?

Calcifying fibrous tumor is a rare benign mass lesion characterized by bland spindle cells embedded in abundant collagenous matrix, interspersed dystrophic or psammomatous calcifications, and lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate. It shares several clinical and morphologic features with IgG4-related disease, a newly recognized fibroinflammatory disorder. Characteristic histologic features of IgG4-related lesions include dense fibrosis and abundant lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate, similar to calcifying fibrous tumor. They contain high numbers of IgG4-positive plasma cells in the tissue. Patients also often have elevated serum IgG4 levels. We report the case of a patient with an ileal calcifying fibrous tumor that contained 69 IgG4-positive plasma cells per high-power field and an IgG4-to-IgG ratio of 56% in lesional plasma cells. The patient's serum IgG4 level was 185 mg/dL, more than double the normal value. Altogether, these features suggest that calcifying fibrous tumor could be an unrecognized lesion of IgG4-related disease.

Calcifying fibrous tumor of the small intestine associated with Castleman-like lymphadenopathy

Calcifying fibrous tumor is a rare mesenchymal tumor that most commonly presents in younger individuals. We report the case of a 25-year-old woman that presented with severe abdominal pain and a small bowel mass at the site of an ileocolic intussusception with associated mesenteric lymphadenopathy. Surgical resection was performed, and pathologic analysis revealed that the mass was a calcifying fibrous tumor associated with Castleman-like adenopathy. This case intends to support a possible association between these two entities.

Calcifying fibrous tumor of the spine

OBJECTIVE

Calcifying fibrous tumor is a rare, benign soft-tissue tumor of unknown etiology, characterized by hyalinized collagenous fibrous tissue with psammomatous or dystrophic calcification and focal lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate known to involve different organ systems. Involvement of the spine and the presence of metaplastic ossification previously have not been reported.

INTERVENTION

We report a 44-year-old female with progressive nontraumatic flank pain. Imaging revealed a left-sided retroperitoneal calcified mass attached to L5 body with no evidence of extension into the neural foramina, nearby vascular structures, or psoas muscle. The patient had an en bloc resection of the tumor via the transabdominal approach. A pathologic diagnosis of calcifying fibrosis with metaplastic ossification of the spine was reported. Postoperative recovery was uneventful and there is no recurrence after 18 months of follow-up.

CONCLUSION

Calcifying fibrous tumor, a rare benign soft tissue tumor must be considered in the differential diagnosis of a retroperitoneal calcified mass closely associated with the spinal column. Spine surgeons should be aware of this rare pathologic disease entity and although its natural history is not clear, marginal excision is usually adequate.

Multifocal peritoneal calcifying fibrous tumour: incidental finding at cholecystectomy

Calcifying fibrous tumour (CFT) is a benign tumour of elusive aetiology and a potential for local recurrence. Despite its peculiar histological characteristics it can still be confused with interrelated differential diagnosis like inflammatory myofibroblastic tumour (IMT) or solitary fibrous tumours. The clinical differential diagnosis is however much wider. To date seven cases of multiple peritoneal CFTs are on record. The authors present a case discovered incidentally during laparoscopic cholecystectomy, with no previous history and no radiological diagnosis achieved despite having undergone magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) and normal routine perioperative investigation. The patient is disease-free 12 months after diagnosis. The case report is followed by a detailed literature review.

Castleman's disease of the mesorectum: report of a case

Castleman's disease is a benign lymphoid proliferative disorder, which most commonly presents as a solitary mass in the mediastinum, although extrathoracic sites have been reported in the neck, axilla, pelvis, mesentery, pancreas, and retroperitoneum. We report a case of asymptomatic, isolated Castleman's disease in the mesorectum, which is extremely rare. The patient was a 34-year-old woman who underwent investigations for vaginal spotting. A presacral mass was located on the left side of the rectum, 10 cm from the anal verge. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography showed a large, well-demarcated, strongly enhancing mass with internal radiating septa in the mesorectum. The mass was well circumscribed and isointense to muscle on T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging, appearing as a slightly hyperintense mass on T2-weighted imaging. We performed laparoscopic mesorectal mass excision, and histological examination revealed features typical of the hyaline-vascular type of Castleman's disease. Thus, when a mesorectal mass is being investigated, Castleman's disease should be considered in the differential diagnosis.

HIV-associated multicentric Castleman's disease

Multicentric Castleman's disease (MCD), a relatively rare lymphoproliferative disorder that presents with heterogenous symptoms including fevers, anemia, and multifocal lymphadenopathy, is today most commonly observed in individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV). In such individuals, a lymph node biopsy typically identifies cells that stain for Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus proteins, and most HIV-associated MCD features can be attributed to the presence of this gamma-herpesvirus. Surgery and antiviral therapies including highly active antiretroviral therapy, interferon-alpha, foscarnet, ganciclovir, and antibodies to interleukin-6 have proved largely ineffective, and chemotherapy in HIV positive individuals is complicated by limited efficacy and pronounced toxicity. While no randomized trials have been performed, more recently the use of the anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody rituximab in large single center cohorts has been associated with prolonged remissions, radiologic responses, as well as hematologic and serum chemistry normalization of the inflammatory picture observed, at the expense of B cell depletion and flare of Kaposi's sarcoma. MCD represents a model of disease at the interplay between tumor biology, infection, and immunology.

Calcifying fibrous tumor of the adrenal gland

Calcifying fibrous tumor is an uncommon entity with distinctive pathologic features. Most calcifying fibrous tumors involve the peripheral soft tissues or serosal surfaces, with reports of visceral examples of this lesion being extremely limited. We report the clinical and pathologic features of an unusual case of calcifying fibrous tumor occurring in the adrenal gland of a 32-year-old woman. Microscopically, the lesion was well circumscribed and composed of dense, poorly cellular collagenous tissue, scattered spindle cells, an inflammatory infiltrate consisting of plasma cells and lymphocytes, and dystrophic calcifications. The morphologic diagnosis of calcifying fibrous tumor was supported by diffuse positive immunoreactivity for factor XIIIa and absence of reactivity for muscle specific actin, smooth muscle actin, and anaplastic lymphoma kinase. Although rare, awareness that calcifying fibrous tumor may occur at this particular site is important so as not to confuse this lesion with other mesenchymal neoplasms of the adrenal gland.

Hyper-IgG4 disease: report and characterisation of a new disease

BACKGROUND

We highlight a chronic inflammatory disease we call 'hyper-IgG4 disease', which has many synonyms depending on the organ involved, the country of origin and the year of the report. It is characterized histologically by a lymphoplasmacytic inflammation with IgG4-positive cells and exuberant fibrosis, which leaves dense fibrosis on resolution. A typical example is idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis, but the initial report in 2001 was of sclerosing pancreatitis.

METHODS

We report an index case with fever and severe systemic disease. We have also reviewed the histology of 11 further patients with idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis for evidence of IgG4-expressing plasma cells, and examined a wide range of other inflammatory conditions and fibrotic diseases as organ-specific controls. We have reviewed the published literature for disease associations with idiopathic, systemic fibrosing conditions and the synonyms: pseudotumour, myofibroblastic tumour, plasma cell granuloma, systemic fibrosis, xanthofibrogranulomatosis, and multifocal fibrosclerosis.

RESULTS

Histology from all 12 patients showed, to varying degrees, fibrosis, intense inflammatory cell infiltration with lymphocytes, plasma cells, scattered neutrophils, and sometimes eosinophilic aggregates, with venulitis and obliterative arteritis. The majority of lymphocytes were T cells that expressed CD8 and CD4, with scattered B-cell-rich small lymphoid follicles. In all cases, there was a significant increase in IgG4-positive plasma cells compared with controls. In two cases, biopsies before and after steroid treatment were available, and only scattered plasma cells were seen after treatment, none of them expressing IgG4. Review of the literature shows that although pathology commonly appears confined to one organ, patients can have systemic symptoms and fever. In the active period, there is an acute phase response with a high serum concentration of IgG, and during this phase, there is a rapid clinical response to glucocorticoid steroid treatment.

CONCLUSION

We believe that hyper-IgG4 disease is an important condition to recognise, as the diagnosis can be readily verified and the outcome with treatment is very good.

Anaesthetic considerations in Castleman's disease

Castleman's disease is a lymphoreticular disorder, often localized and clinically silent. Systemic manifestations may occur. Castleman's disease may be associated with pathologies such as POEMS syndrome (polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, monoclonal gammopathy, and skin changes), AIDS, amyloidosis, pemphigus vulgaris, and other types of cancer such as lymphoma and Kaposi's sarcoma. Careful preoperative evaluation is required to determine whether associated mediastinal or spinal canal masses or haematological disorders are present. The significance of these pathologies for anaesthetic management is discussed. We present the case of a 27-year-old female patient with Castleman's disease (hyaline-vascular variant) requiring vaginal reconstruction due to recurrent sores and synechiae.

Undifferentiated Large Cell Carcinoma of the Thymus Associated With Castleman Disease-Like Reaction

Five cases of a distinctive type of undifferentiated large cell thymic carcinoma accompanied by an inflammatory reaction having morphologic features closely resembling those of Castleman disease (CD) of the hyaline vascular type (HVCD) are reported. The tumors occurred in 3 men and 2 women with a median age of 53 years. Three patients were asymptomatic and the tumors were found incidentally; 1 patient presented with fatigue, weight loss, dyspnea, and chest pain, and another with acanthosis nigricans. The tumors were characterized by the admixture of two components: a neoplasm of cytokeratin (+)/CD5(-) undifferentiated large tumor cells and an inflammatory reaction resembling the late stage of HVCD. Some of the cases were associated with a remarkably indolent clinical course, especially when considering their high-grade morphology. Three patients were alive without disease at 1, 10, and 22 years. One patient was alive with persistent disease at 1 year. One patient's clinical course was unique in that the primary thymic tumor was found 16 years after a metastasis had been detected in two distant lymph nodes. The two possible explanations for the coexistence here described are as follows: 1) a CD-like reaction to the tumor as the morphologic manifestation of a host immune response; and 2) a malignancy engrafted upon preexisting HVCD of the thymus, in a manner analogous to that operating in the reported cases of tumors of dendritic/reticulum cells complicating HVCD at other sites. The first hypothesis is favored, with the added suggestion that the CD-like reaction may bear a relationship to the peculiarly indolent behavior that these tumors exhibit.

Castleman Disease of the Subcutis and Underlying Skeletal Muscle

Castleman disease of the subcutis and skeletal muscle is rare. We have collected a series of 6 cases of extranodal Castleman disease, located in the subcutis and skeletal muscles of the extremities and trunk. Tumors from mediastinal and retroperitoneal soft tissue and those histologically involving peripheral or truncal lymph nodes were excluded. There were four females and two males; ages ranged from 18 to 37 years (mean, 26 years). Locations included thigh (n = 3), anterior chest (n = 2), and upper arm (n = 1). Sizes ranged from 4.0 to 6.0 cm (mean, 5.2 cm). All patients presented with localized disease. One patient had involvement of the mediastinum 1 year prior to the appearance of his soft tissue lesion. None of the patients demonstrated systemic involvement or signs of the POEMS syndrome. Histopathologically, all cases were classified as hyaline-vascular type (HVCD). In 3 cases, follicular dendritic cell dysplasia was observed. In 1 case, the dysplasia was marked. The subcutaneous lesion of 1 patient revealed a maze of capillaries set in a lipomatous background with occasional lymphoid follicles possessing hyalinized lymphocyte-depleted centers. This lesion probably represented incipient HVCD. Molecular biologic studies did not reveal the presence of Epstein-Barr virus or human herpesvirus-8 DNA in the lesional tissue. There also were no monoclonal rearrangements of IgH. Four patients with follow-up included 2 patients with no evidence of disease at 10 and 13 years, respectively, and 2 patients with local recurrence at 2 and 6 months, respectively. In conclusion, soft tissue Castleman disease is a disease of young patients with a female predominance and a propensity to involve the trunk and limbs. It can be of large size and is generally solitary. There may be mild to marked follicular dendritic cell dysplasia. The HVCD predominates in this location. These lesions are usually unassociated with POEMS, Epstein-Barr virus, human herpesvirus-8, or monoclonal rearrangements of IgH.

Localized Castleman's Disease Presenting as a Vascular Right Iliac Fossa Mass

Castleman's disease is a rare lymphoproliferative disorder of unknown aetiology. The presentation is varied, diagnosis is difficult, and optimum management is still unknown. We report our experience with a case of Castleman's disease in a 34-year old woman who presented with pallor, hepatosplenomegaly, and a right iliac fossa mass that was 5 cm in diameter. this was initially diagnosed as a soft tissue sarcoma and preoperative tumour embolization was planned before excision. Mesenteric arteriogram revealed that the feeder arteries arose from the superior mesenteric artery and embolization was aborted for fear of causing bowel ischaemia. On laparotomy, lymphoid enlargement was found between the leaves of the jejunal mesentery. The tumour was relatively avascular and the overlying mesenteric vessels contributed to teh duplex ultrasound and computerized tomography appearance of hypervascularity. The tumour with the mesentery and the overlying segment of jejunum was excised completely. Histopathology confirmed Castleman's disease. The purpose of this report is to present this rare case that caused a diagnostic dilemma and to review the management of this disorder.

Familial peritoneal multifocal calcifying fibrous tumor

Calcifying fibrous tumor (CFT) is usually solitary, involving the soft tissue, pleura, or peritoneum. The cause and pathogenesis are unclear. Cases with multifocal lesions are rare, and a familial occurrence has not been reported. Herein, a family in which 2 sisters developed multifocal peritoneal CFT is described. The sisters each had abdominal pain, and each was found at laparotomy to have multiple nodular lesions on the mesenteric, omental, and small bowel serosal surfaces. Many lesions were composed of collagenous, paucicellular, fibrous tissue with psammomatous or dystrophic calcification, consistent with CFT. Some lesions were composed of more cellular spindle-celled tissue resembling inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors. Both patients were alive and well 19 and 17 years after diagnosis, respectively. One other sibling and 2 children of one of the sisters were speculated to have the same disorder, based on clinical findings. This report suggests that there may be genetic susceptibility to CFT, although chance and common environmental etiologic factors cannot be excluded.

Calcifying fibrous pseudotumor versus inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor: a histological and immunohistochemical comparison

Calcifying fibrous pseudotumor (CFP), a recently described lesion, is characterized by a predominantly lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate with abundant hyalinized collagen and psammomatous or dystrophic calcifications. The cause and pathogenesis are unclear, but it has been postulated that CFP may represent a sclerosing end stage of inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT). We compared the histological and immunohistochemical profiles of seven cases diagnosed as CFP and seven as IMT. Histologically, the CFP demonstrated varying degrees of calcifications in addition to fibroblastic proliferation admixed with inflammatory cells composed of lymphocytes, eosinophils, and mast cells. The IMTs rarely contain calcifications and had a myofibroblastic proliferation varying from hyalinized acellular collagen to florid fibroblastic proliferations simulating sarcoma. The inflammatory component was composed primarily of plasma cells and lymphocytes, sometimes arranged as lymphoid aggregates with germinal centers. All CFP cases were diffusely positive for factor XIIIa and negative for smooth muscle actin, muscle-specific actin, and CD34. All IMTs demonstrated diffuse positivity for actin, variable positivity for CD34, and focal positivity for Factor XIIIa. This study demonstrates certain distinct histologic, immunohistochemical, and electron microscopic features between IMTs and CFPs.