Ultrasonic treatment of tumors: I. Absence of metastases following treatment of a hamster fibrosarcoma.

The rate of metastasis has been compared for a hamster fibrosarcoma line treated either with ultrasound or by surgical excision. Continuous wave, 5 MHz ultrasound at 3 W/cm² for 6–8 min brought tumor temperatures to 60–70°C. The animals were observed over a period of 12 weeks. The ultrasound treatment effectively eradicated the local tumor. There was no indication of induction of metastasis by the treatment.     

Fibrosarcoma mimicking plasmacytoma or carcinoma: an ultrastructural study of 4 cases

Because the fibroblast has a remarkable capability of phenotypic modulations, reflected in both morphologic and immunohistochemical (IHC) changes, ultrastructural studiesare mandatory to identify the variants of fibroblasts. Myofibroblasts or histiofibroblasts are such examples, demonstrating chimeric ultrastructural features of fibroblastic cells in common with smooth muscle cells or with histiocytes, respectively. The presence of epithelioid fibroblastic cells sharing morphologic features with epithelial or plasma cells has not been yet characterized. The authors identified 4 cases of fibrosarcomas (FS) characterized by an unusual phenotype and associated with peculiar ultrastructural findings. The electron microscopic (EM) findings were correlated with the histologic appearance and immunoprofile. All tumors were located in the extremities, 3 in soft tissues and 1 in the bone. By light microscopy 2 cases were composed predominantly by round uniform cells with a striking plasmacytoid appearance. One case mimicked carcinoma, composed predominantly by epithelioid cells and scattered giant tumor cells. The fourth case showed a mixture of plasmacytoid-like and epithelioid cells. By IHC, tumor cells were positive for vimentin and in 2 cases also for epithelial membrane antigen. Kappa/lambda light chain and cytokeratins markers were negative. By EM all 4 tumors showed in addition to classic features of fibroblasts, unusual epithelial-type features, such as secretory granules of "neurosecretory-type" (3 cases), rudimentary cell junctions (3 cases), microvilli (2 cases), and lumen-like structures (1 case). One plasmacytoid-type tumor showed finely granular extracellular deposits. The study describe 4 examples of fibrosarcomas with unusual features at the ultrastructural level, which are associated microscopically with a peculiar phenotype, mimicking plasmacytoma or carcinoma. These findings broaden the spectrum of fibroblastic cell variants in neoplasia.     

Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans with fibrosarcomatous areas

 Fibrosarcomatous (FS) change in a rare, but well-known phenomenon encountered in dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP), and an increased chance in an adverse outcome has been suggested in patients with DFSP having FS areas (DFSP-FS). As altered p53 pathway has been suggested as having a potential role in tumour progression, we analysed the p53 gene and p53 protein together with the p53-related protein mdm2 and p21^Wafl in 5 cases of DFSP-FS and 13 of DFSP to ascertain whether the p53 pathway correlates to the fibrosarcomatous transformation of DFSP. Three of the five DFSP-FSs overexpressed p53 protein immunohistochemically, and one of them had a ”missense” mutation of the p53 gene without immunohistochemical overexpression of mdm2 or p21^Wafl. The other two DFSP-FSs with p53 overexpression demonstrated increased labelling indices of both mdm2 and p21^Wafl. The three DFSP-FS patients with overexpression of p53 protein had frequent local recurrences, ranging from 3 to 5 in number with increasingly short intervals (mean 4.5 years), while one of the other two had no recurrences and the other, only one. None of the 13 DFSPs showed any alterations in the p53 gene or overexpressions of p53, mdm2 and p21^Wafl, except for one DFSP having a ”silent” mutation of the p53 gene. Three DFSPs had local recurrences once or twice with longer intervals to recurrence (mean 10.3 years). Although the number of cases examined is limited, the results suggest that alterations in the p53 pathway, such as overexpression of p53 protein by a mutated gene and mdm2 overexpression, are involved in fibrosarcomatous transformation in a subset of fibrohistiocytic tumours and possibly correlated with its more locally aggressive behaviour than that without p53 alterations or ordinary DFSP. Received: 21 January 1998 / Accepted: 25 March 1998     

硬化性上皮样纤维肉瘤的临床病理学观察

目的探讨硬化性上皮样纤维肉瘤的临床病理学特征、免疫表型及鉴别诊断.方法应用光镜和免疫组织化学LSAB法对8例硬化性上皮样纤维肉瘤进行临床病理学分析和免疫表型检测.结果患者均为成年人,男性5例,女性3例,年龄35～54岁(平均45岁).临床上表现为深部软组织内缓慢性生长的肿块,其中大腿/臀部3例,右上臂/肩部2例,胸壁和背部2例,小腿1例.大体上,肿块呈结节状,境界相对清楚,直径2.0～10.5 cm(平均6 em),切面呈灰白色,质地坚韧或有弹性.组织学上,肿瘤由形态一致、小至中等大的圆形或多边形上皮样细胞组成,多呈单个或狭窄的条索状排列,夹杂于大量嗜伊红色、玻璃样变的胶原纤维之间.部分区域中也可排列成巢状、片状或腺泡状.高倍镜下,瘤细胞的胞质透亮或嗜伊红色,核异型性不明显,核分裂象也少见(＜1/10HPF).另在2例肿瘤的局部区域,细胞密度明显增加,核有显著的异型性,核分裂象也易见,类似经典的纤维肉瘤.免疫组织化学标记显示,瘤细胞弥漫强阳性表达波形蛋白,灶性或弱阳性表达上皮膜抗原,不表达细胞角蛋白、S-100蛋白、HMB45、肌动蛋白、结蛋白、CD34、bcl-2、CD30和白细胞共同抗原(LCA)等标记.随访6例,3例复发,1例发生肺部转移.结论硬化性上皮样纤维肉瘤是纤维肉瘤的一种少见亚型,尽管瘤细胞异型性不明显,核分裂象也少见,但肿瘤可发生局部复发及远处转移,临床上应视为一种低至中度恶性的软组织肉瘤处理,组织学上则应注意与一些具有上皮样形态和硬化性间质的肿瘤相鉴别.     

Palliative embolization of fibrosarcoma for control of tumor-induced hypoglycemia

A 77-year-old woman with prior long-standing insulin-dependent diabetes presented with malignant hypoglycemia secondary to insulin-like substances excreted from a large unresectable fibrosarcoma of the left thigh. Partial embolization of the tumor supply from the deep femoral artery was performed using 150–250 m polyvinyl alcohol foam particles. After embolization, the patient's serum glucose levels reverted to normal and she could be discharged from the hospital.     

原发性肾纤维肉瘤一例报告

本文报道1例患者,因间断右腰部疼痛1个月余、加重1周入院并行腹腔镜根治性右肾切除术,术后诊断为右肾纤维肉瘤。患者拒绝进一步放化疗,术后第11天出院。术后1年查胸部CT示肝右叶背膜下肿物。于外院行手术治疗,术后诊断为右肾纤维肉瘤肝转移。术后随访4个月未见复发和转移。     

Synchronous development of breast cancer and chest wall fibrosarcoma after previous mantle radiation for Hodgkin’s disease

Survivors of Hodgkins disease are at increased risk of developing a second malignant neoplasm, including breast carcinoma and sarcoma. We report the first case of synchronous development of chest wall fibrosarcoma and breast carcinoma after mantle radiotherapy for Hodgkins disease. Mammographic, sonographic and MR features are demonstrated.     

Tumor-host interactions accompanying the growth of the G:5:113 fibrosarcoma in the mouse: possibilities for a new therapeutic approach?

The experiments were aimed at describing in detail some interactions between a solid tumor growing from subcutaneously transplanted G:5:113 fibrosarcoma cells in vivo and its mouse host. The tumor was found to elevate significantly the number of granulocytes in the peripheral blood of the host after having achieved the volume of about 1 cm³ (day 40 after transplantation). Blood plasma from fibrosarcoma-bearing mice stimulated proliferation of progenitor cells for granulocytes and macrophages (GM-CFC) in vitro and suppressed growth of G:5:113 cell population in culture. Interestingly, both effects were observable as early as week 1 when the tumor was still macroscopically invisible and unpalpable. Conditioned medium from cultures of G:5:113 fibrosarcoma cells stimulated proliferation of GM-CFC in vitro. These findings might represent a starting point for studies aimed at designing new therapeutic approaches for the treatment of fibrosarcoma.     

Astrocytoma arising in meningeal fibrosarcoma

Summary The authors describe a rare case of mixed glioma-sarcoma arising in primary meningeal fibrosarcoma as described by Rubinstein, in contrast to the more familiar mechanism of sarcoma arising from hyperplastic blood vessels in primary glioblastoma as described by Feigin. The two interpretations are by no means mutually exclusive, as both have been documented with a higher proportion of such mixed glioma-sarcomas being of the Feigin type. There exist, therefore, dual pathways in the histogenesis of mixed glioma-sarcoma, both of which are sufficiently well documented as to justify resurrection of the historical term gliosarcoma, in accordance with the rigid criteria stipulated for diagnosis of this truly biphasic CNS tumor.The opinions or assertions contained herein are the private views of the author and are not to be construed as official or as reflecting the views of the Department of the Army or the Department of Defense.