Divergent myosarcomatous differentiation in retroperitoneal liposarcoma Journal Article


Authors: Tallini, G.; Erlandson, R. A.; Brennan, M. F.; Woodruff, J. M.
Article Title: Divergent myosarcomatous differentiation in retroperitoneal liposarcoma
Abstract: We describe four patients with retroperitoneal liposarcomas undergoing myosarcomatous differentiation. The patients (two men and two women) were 47, 48, 68, and 72 years of age when first seen. The primary tumors were large retroperitoneal, well-differentiated liposarcomas, one featuring areas of dedifferentiation (without muscle elements). A myosarcomatous component became evident at the first recurrence in three cases and at the second recurrence in one. This component was always within dedifferentiated areas and in three of the cases coincided with the emergence of the latter. The muscle component had exclusively leiomyosarcomatous phenotype (alpha-smooth- muscle actin reactivity) in one case, exclusively rhabdomyosarcomatous phenotype (myoglobin reactivity) in two cases, and combined leiomyosarcomatous and rhabdomyosarcomatous phenotype (alpha-smooth-muscle actin and myoglobin) in one case. Ultrastructural studies of one of the tumors with a rhabdomyosarcomatous component revealed the presence of sarcomeres. Two patients died of extensive retroperitoneal disease, one patient died following the attempted removal of a recurrence, and one patient is alive and free of disease. These cases demonstrate that the dedifferentiated component of liposarcoma may exhibit a myosarcomatous component, a feature analogous to that previously described in dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma.
Keywords: immunohistochemistry; adult; aged; histopathology; case report; phenotype; neoplasm recurrence, local; tumor differentiation; tumor recurrence; spindle cell; retroperitoneal neoplasms; leiomyosarcoma; rhabdomyosarcoma; liposarcoma; desmin; middle age; retroperitoneal liposarcoma; dedifferentiated liposarcoma; alpha actin; sarcomere; human; male; female; priority journal; article; support, u.s. gov't, p.h.s.; myosarcoma
Journal Title: American Journal of Surgical Pathology
Volume: 17
Issue: 6
ISSN: 0147-5185
Publisher: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins  
Date Published: 1993-06-01
Start Page: 546
End Page: 556
Language: English
DOI: 10.1097/00000478-199306000-00002
PUBMED: 8333554
PROVIDER: scopus
DOI/URL:
Notes: Source: Scopus
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  1. Murray F Brennan
    1059 Brennan
  2. James M Woodruff
    162 Woodruff
  3. Robert A Erlandson
    125 Erlandson
  4. Giovanni Tallini
    10 Tallini