title: Intra-abdominal follicular dendritic cell sarcoma with marked pleomorphic features and aberrant expression of neuroendocrine markers: report of a case with immunohistochemical analysis.
abstract: Follicular dendritic cell sarcoma (FDCS) is a very rare malignant tumor arising most frequently in lymph nodes with only few reports of extranodal locations. We report the case of a 35-year-old man with a large retroperitoneal mass. Histologically the tumor was composed of highly pleomorphic cells exhibiting some uncommon features such as an epithelioid appearance, cystic spaces, and multinucleated cells with morphologic features of emperipolesis. Immunohistochemically the neoplastic cells were immunoreactive for CD21, CD23 and CD35. A previously unreported expression of neuroendocrine markers (Synaptophisyn and Neuron-Specific-Enolase) was present. Ultrastructurally no neuroendocrine secretory granules were detected. FDCS can mimic a wide variety of other malignant tumors, and a correct diagnosis requires exclusion of other neoplasms and immunohistochemical confirmation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, The American British Cowdray Medical Center, Mexico City, Mexico. apadillar@abchospital.com
authors.forename: Alvaro Lezid
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Padilla-Rodríguez
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bembassat
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lazaro
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ortiz-Hidalgo
mesh_terms: D000008:Abdominal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000328:Adult; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D020566:Dendritic Cells, Follicular / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography; D017463:Receptors, Complement 3b / Q000032:analysis; D017464:Receptors, Complement 3d / Q000032:analysis; D017455:Receptors, IgE / Q000032:analysis; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D017463:Receptors, Complement 3b; D017464:Receptors, Complement 3d; D017455:Receptors, IgE