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Clinicopathologic re-evaluation of 100 malignant fibrous histiocytomas: prognostic relevance of subclassification

Fletcher, Christopher D.M. ; Gustafson, Pelle LU ; Rydholm, Anders LU ; Willen, Helena and Åkerman, Måns LU (2001) In Journal of Clinical Oncology 19(12). p.3045-3050
Abstract
PURPOSE: Malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) has been regarded as the most common soft tissue sarcoma (STS) in adults. Yet its true nature and the validity of this diagnostic concept have increasingly been questioned. Available data suggest that most patients with MFH can be subclassified into specific STS types, but the clinical relevance of such categorization has been argued. In a retrospective study, we reclassified 100 tumors of the extremity and trunk wall primarily diagnosed as MFH and analyzed the outcome. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients were adults (median age, 70 years; range, 32 to 94 years). The median tumor size was 8 cm (range, 1 to 30 cm), and the thigh was the most common tumor location (n = 31). Median follow-up was 8... (More)
PURPOSE: Malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) has been regarded as the most common soft tissue sarcoma (STS) in adults. Yet its true nature and the validity of this diagnostic concept have increasingly been questioned. Available data suggest that most patients with MFH can be subclassified into specific STS types, but the clinical relevance of such categorization has been argued. In a retrospective study, we reclassified 100 tumors of the extremity and trunk wall primarily diagnosed as MFH and analyzed the outcome. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients were adults (median age, 70 years; range, 32 to 94 years). The median tumor size was 8 cm (range, 1 to 30 cm), and the thigh was the most common tumor location (n = 31). Median follow-up was 8 years (range, 3 to 16 years). The overall 5-year metastasis-free survival rate was 0.64. The tumors were reanalyzed histologically, immunohistochemically, and, where available, ultrastructurally, and were classified according to strict diagnostic criteria. Patients were staged according to the American Joint Committee on Cancer system, and prognoses were compared among different groups of the reclassified diagnoses, paying special attention to myogenic tumors. RESULTS: In 84 of 100 tumors, a specific line of differentiation was either proved or strongly suggested. The most common diagnoses were myxofibrosarcoma (n = 22) and leiomyosarcoma (n = 20). Overall, 30 tumors could be grouped as some form of myogenic sarcoma. These tumors had a worse prognosis, even within the same American Joint Committee on Cancer stage, and a shorter time to metastasis than nonmyogenic tumors. CONCLUSION: This retrospective study confirms that most so-called MFH can be subclassified by defined criteria; it provides evidence that such classification is clinically important. Specifically, pleomorphic STS showing myogenic differentiation are significantly more aggressive, a finding that allows planning future therapeutic trials. (Less)
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
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in
Journal of Clinical Oncology
volume
19
issue
12
pages
3045 - 3050
publisher
American Society of Clinical Oncology
external identifiers
  • pmid:11408500
  • scopus:0035876106
ISSN
1527-7755
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
The information about affiliations in this record was updated in December 2015. The record was previously connected to the following departments: Department of Orthopaedics (Lund) (013028000), Pathology, (Lund) (013030000)
id
be72fb54-ee70-4260-afba-7e57ea070f6d (old id 1122585)
alternative location
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11408500
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 11:57:07
date last changed
2022-03-20 21:17:27
@article{be72fb54-ee70-4260-afba-7e57ea070f6d,
  abstract     = {{PURPOSE: Malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) has been regarded as the most common soft tissue sarcoma (STS) in adults. Yet its true nature and the validity of this diagnostic concept have increasingly been questioned. Available data suggest that most patients with MFH can be subclassified into specific STS types, but the clinical relevance of such categorization has been argued. In a retrospective study, we reclassified 100 tumors of the extremity and trunk wall primarily diagnosed as MFH and analyzed the outcome. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients were adults (median age, 70 years; range, 32 to 94 years). The median tumor size was 8 cm (range, 1 to 30 cm), and the thigh was the most common tumor location (n = 31). Median follow-up was 8 years (range, 3 to 16 years). The overall 5-year metastasis-free survival rate was 0.64. The tumors were reanalyzed histologically, immunohistochemically, and, where available, ultrastructurally, and were classified according to strict diagnostic criteria. Patients were staged according to the American Joint Committee on Cancer system, and prognoses were compared among different groups of the reclassified diagnoses, paying special attention to myogenic tumors. RESULTS: In 84 of 100 tumors, a specific line of differentiation was either proved or strongly suggested. The most common diagnoses were myxofibrosarcoma (n = 22) and leiomyosarcoma (n = 20). Overall, 30 tumors could be grouped as some form of myogenic sarcoma. These tumors had a worse prognosis, even within the same American Joint Committee on Cancer stage, and a shorter time to metastasis than nonmyogenic tumors. CONCLUSION: This retrospective study confirms that most so-called MFH can be subclassified by defined criteria; it provides evidence that such classification is clinically important. Specifically, pleomorphic STS showing myogenic differentiation are significantly more aggressive, a finding that allows planning future therapeutic trials.}},
  author       = {{Fletcher, Christopher D.M. and Gustafson, Pelle and Rydholm, Anders and Willen, Helena and Åkerman, Måns}},
  issn         = {{1527-7755}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{12}},
  pages        = {{3045--3050}},
  publisher    = {{American Society of Clinical Oncology}},
  series       = {{Journal of Clinical Oncology}},
  title        = {{Clinicopathologic re-evaluation of 100 malignant fibrous histiocytomas: prognostic relevance of subclassification}},
  url          = {{http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11408500}},
  volume       = {{19}},
  year         = {{2001}},
}