Subcutaneous metastases of sarcomatoid mesothelioma with its differential diagnosis on fine needle aspiration–a case report
Friday, December 23rd, 2005.
Indian Journal of Pathology and Microbiology. 2005 Oct;48(4):482-4. [Link]
Patel T, Bansal R, Trivedi P, Modi L, Shah MJ.
Department of Pathology, Room No. 412, The Gujarat Cancer and Research Institute, M.P. Shah Cancer Hospital, New Civil Hospital Campus, Asarwa, Ahmedabad-380016, Gujarat, India. shreyans-patel41@yahoo.com
Abstract
Metastasis of mesothelioma of the pleura, to the skin and subcutis is an extremely rare occurrence. A 25 year old woman, who had undergone chemotherapy, partial excision of tumor followed by radiotherapy of sarcomatoid mesothelioma of the pleura, presented three months later with painless widespread subcutaneous nodules. FNAC of these nodules reveled pleomorphic malignant spindle shaped cell with epithelioid morphology. The subcutis is a particularly rare site of metastatic sarcomatoid mesothelioma. It is essential to differentiate neoplasm metastatic to the skin and subcutis from primary and benign lesions of the same region. FNAC is accurate and efficient, in conjugation with clinical history, and it also prevents surgical biopsy in the diagnosis of metastatic subcutaneous lesion. To our knowledge, this is the first case, reported till date, in which the sarcomatoid mesothelioma metastasized to the subcutaneous tissue and was diagnosed by fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC).
Glossary
- surgical biopsy
- see biopsy
- pleura
- (pler-uh) the membrane around the lungs and lining of the chest cavity. (Pleural mesothelioma.)
- neoplasm
- (nee-o-plas-um) an abnormal growth (tumor) that starts from a single altered cell; a neoplasm may be benign or malignant. Cancer is a malignant neoplasm.
- needle aspiration
- a type of needle biopsy. Removal of fluid from a cyst or cells from a tumor. In this procedure, a needle is used to reach the cyst or tumor, and with suction, draw up (aspirate) samples for examination under a microscope. If the needle is thin, the procedure is called a fine needle aspiration or FNA. (See also biopsy.)
- metastasis
- (meh-tas-teh-sis) the spread of cancer cells to distant areas of the body by way of the lymph system or bloodstream.
- lesion
- (lee-zhun) a change in body tissue; sometimes used as another word for tumor.
- fine needle aspiration
- see needle aspiration.
- diagnosis
- identifying a disease by its signs or symptoms, and by using imaging procedures and laboratory findings. The earlier a diagnosis of cancer is made, the better the chance for long-term survival.
- cytology
- (cy-tahl-uh-gee) the branch of science that deals with the structure and function of cells.
- chemotherapy
- (key-mo-THER-uh-pee) treatment with drugs to destroy cancer cells. Chemotherapy is often used with surgery or radiation to treat cancer when the cancer has spread, when it has come back (recurred), or when there is a strong chance that it could recur.
- cell
- the basic unit of which all living things are made. Cells replace themselves by splitting and forming new cells (mitosis). The processes that control the formation of new cells and the death of old cells are disrupted in cancer.
- cancer
- malignancy; a group of diseases typified by abnormal, generally out-of-control, cell growth.
- biopsy
- (buy-op-see) the removal of a sample of tissue to see whether cancer cells are present. There are several kinds of biopsies. In some, a very thin needle is used to draw fluid and cells from a lump. In a core biopsy, a larger needle is used to remove more tissue.
- benign
- (be-nine) not cancer; not malignant.
- tissue
- a collection of cells, united to perform a particular function.
- tumor
- an abnormal lump or mass of tissue. Tumors can be benign (not cancerous) or malignant (cancerous).
- mesothelioma
- a tumor derived from mesothelial tissue, such as the peritoneum (lining the abdomen) or pleura (lining the lungs). More on mesothelioma.
