Title

Solitary Fibrous Tumors of the Head and Neck: A Multi-Institutional Clinicopathologic Study.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

12-1-2017

Publication Title

The American journal of surgical pathology

Abstract

Solitary fibrous tumors (SFTs) of the head and neck are uncommon. Lesions previously diagnosed in the head and neck as hemangiopericytomas (HPCs), giant cell angiofibromas (GCAs), and orbital fibrous histiocytomas (OFHs) are now recognized as within the expanded spectrum of SFTs. To better understand the clinicopathologic profile of head and neck SFTs, we performed a multi-institutional study of 88 examples. There was no sex predilection (F:M ratio 1.2), and the median patient age was 52 years (range: 15 to above 89 y). The sinonasal tract and orbit were the most common sites involved (30% and 25%), followed by the oral cavity and salivary glands (15% and 14%). Original diagnoses included HPC (25%), SFT (67%), and OFH (6%), with 1 SFT and 1 OFH noted as showing GCA-like morphology. On review, the predominant histologic pattern was classic SFT-like in 53% and cellular (former HPC-like) in 47%; lipomatous differentiation (8%) and GCA-like pattern (7%) were less prevalent. Subsets demonstrated nuclear atypia (23%), epithelioid morphology (15%), or coagulative necrosis (6%). Infiltrative growth (49%) and osseous invasion (82%) were prevalent among evaluable cases. Of the 48 SFTs with follow-up (median: 43 mo), 19 showed recurrence (40%). Of these, 4 patients were alive with disease and 4 dead of disease. Size and mitotic rate were negative prognosticators using a joint prognostic proportional hazards regression model. Three patients experienced metastasis, to lungs, parotid, bone, and skull base, including one case showing overtly sarcomatous "dedifferentiation." As a group, SFTs present in a wide anatomic and morphologic spectrum in the head and neck. Only rare examples metastasize or cause death from disease. However, the fairly high local recurrence rate underscores their aggressive potential and highlights the importance of prospective recognition.

Medical Subject Headings

Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Biomarkers, Tumor; Cell Proliferation; Disease Progression; Disease-Free Survival; Female; Head and Neck Neoplasms; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Kaplan-Meier Estimate; Male; Middle Aged; Mitotic Index; Neoplasm Invasiveness; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; Proportional Hazards Models; Retrospective Studies; Risk Factors; Solitary Fibrous Tumors; Time Factors; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Treatment Outcome; United States; Young Adult

PubMed ID

28877055

Volume

41

Issue

12

First Page

1642

Last Page

1656

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