Primary epithelioid angiosarcoma of the adrenal gland case report and review of the literature.
Primary angiosarcoma of the adrenal gland is extremely rare. Here, we report on a 70-year-old man with an angiosarcoma of the right adrenal gland who died 3 weeks after tumor resection due to intestinal infarction and acute renal failure. No metastases were found at autopsy. Histologically, the tumor showed a predominantly epithelioid differentiation. Immunohistochemical examination revealed positive reactivity for cytokeratin, epithelial membrane antigen, vimentin, factor VIII-related antigen, CD31, CD34 and Ulex europaeus agglutinin-I. Features of endothelial origin were also demonstrable by electron microscopy. The differential diagnosis of this uncommon neoplasm is discussed. The present case emphasizes problems in differential diagnosis that arise from its epithelioid differentiation. A review of the literature underlines the poor clinical outcome of adrenal angiosarcoma.
Krüger
S
S
Institute of Pathology, Medical University, Lübeck, Germany. krueger@patho.mu-luebeck.de
Kujath
P
P
Johannisson
R
R
Feller
A C
AC
D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000601:surgery / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006394:Hemangiosarcoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000601:surgery / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008875:Middle Aged; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed