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Cancer Genet Cytogenet 111:169–171 (1999)
Elsevier Science Inc., 1999. All rights reserved.
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Solitary Fibrous Tumor of the Pleura:
A Cytogenetic Study
Ludvik R. Donner, M. Teresa Silva, and Sheila M. Dobin
ABSTRACT:
A solitary fibrous tumor of the pleura was studied. Its karyotype was 46,XY,t(6;17)
(p11.2;q23),ins(9;12)(q22;q15q24.1),inv(16)(p13.1q24). The rearrangement of 12q13–15 was also described
in a subset of hemangiopericytomas of soft tissue and meninges. Because both types of tumors are mor-
phologically and immunophenotypically quite similar, and because some of them share rearrangement
of 12q13–15, the possibility of their histogenetical relatedness should be considered. © Elsevier Sci-
ence Inc., 1999
INTRODUCTION
Solitary fibrous tumor of the pleura is relatively rare, and
unlike mesothelioma, probably arises from submesothelial
connective tissue [1, 2]. A clonal translocation (2;3)
(p21;p26) was found in a single previously studied tumor
[3]. We report the results of a cytogenetic study of another
tumor that showed different chromosomal rearrangements.
CASE REPORT
A 68-year-old white man presented in February 1996 with
a 1-year history of chronic intermittent inflammatory ar-
thritis involving the hands, elbows, knees, and ankles. An
8-cm left pleural tumor was found 3 months later. Needle
biopsy of the tumor was performed. He developed left
pleural effusion and dyspnea in November 1997. The tu-
mor, at this time, measured 17 cm, and a needle biopsy
was repeated. A resection was performed in January 1998.
Following surgery, the arthritis was resolved. He was free
of tumor during his last visit in July 1998.
PATHOLOGIC STUDY
A 1,277 g, 19
ϫ
14
ϫ
11.5-cm tumor was received. It was a
smooth-surfaced, lobulated, hard tumor with solid, white-
tan, partially trabeculated parenchyma arising from the
pleura. The tumor was highly cellular, and displayed a fo-
cal hemangiopericytomatous pattern. The neoplastic cells
were spindly and forming collagen. They had scanty cyto-
plasm, mildly to moderately pleomorphic ovoid nuclei
containing finely-clumped chromatin, and inconspicuous
nucleoli. Six to 14 mitoses per 10 high power fields were
present (Fig. 1). The neoplastic cells were positive for
CD34 and vimentin, and negative for smooth muscle actin,
S100 protein, and keratin. They contained scanty or-
ganelles, a few microfilaments and intermediate filaments,
occasional rough endoplasmic reticulum, smooth cell
membranes, and scanty primitive cell junctions. No basal
lamina was present. Both previous needle biopsy speci-
mens of the tumor were histologically very similar.
CYTOGENETIC STUDY
Six cultures were established from the resection speci-
men: two from explants, two after 5 hours of collagenase
treatment, and two after 21 hours of collagenase treatment.
They were harvested 7–10 days later and 20 GTG-banded
metaphases were analyzed from all four cultures. They all
contained a clonal abnormality 46,XY,t(6;17)(p11.2;q23),
ins(9;12)(q22;q15q24.1),inv(16)(p13.1q24) (Fig. 2).
DISCUSSION
It is of interest that rearrangements of 12q13–15 were also
described in several hemangiopericytomas of soft tissue
[4–6] and meninges [7, 8]. Hemangiopericytomas and soli-
tary fibrous tumors are histologically, immunophenotyp-
ically, and ultrastructurally similar [9, 10] and the very
existence of hemangiopericytomas as a separate entity
becomes debatable [11]. These facts, as well as shared re-
arrangement of the 12q13–15 region, indicate that both tu-
mors may be histogenetically related, or may even repre-
From the Department of Pathology, Scott & White Clinic and
Memorial Hospital, Scott, Sherwood and Brindley Foundation,
Texas A&M University Health Science Center, College of Medi-
cine, Temple, Texas, USA.
Address reprint requests to: Ludvik R. Donner, M.D., Ph.D.,
Department of Pathology, Scott & White Clinic, 2401 S. 31st
Street, Temple, TX 76508.
Received September 21, 1998; accepted November 2, 1998.