title: Granulocytic sarcomas: difficulties in diagnosis.
abstract: Granulocytic sarcoma is an uncommon tumor composed of myeloid blasts and/or immature myeloid cells in an extramedullary site which is usually associated with acute or chronic myeloid leukemia. The tumor may also be the initial manifestation of leukemia. The histomorphological diagnosis of granulocytic sarcoma can be challenging to pathologists, especially in the absence of a known hematological disorder. In this case, differentiation of granulocytic sarcoma from malignant lymphomas and other small round cell tumors is very critical. Seven cases of granulocytic sarcoma are reported in this paper. One patient had granulocytic sarcomas at two different sites. Hematoxylin-eosin-stained sections were reexamined. Blastic, poorly differentiated, and well differentiated histopathological variants were found in two, five and one cases, respectively. Immunohistochemical studies were performed on formalin-fixed tissue from all cases using a avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex technique. The panel included antibodies against LCA, CD43, CD34, c-kit, myeloperoxidase, CD68 KP1, CD15, and CD99. All cases stained positively with LCA, CD43, CD34, myeloperoxidase, and CD68. Five cases were positive for c-kit, three cases were positive for CD15, and two cases were positive for CD99. An immunohistochemical panel including at least myeloperoxidase, CD68 and CD34 can be used for detection of myeloid differentiation. It is also important that granulocytic sarcoma be considered in the differential diagnosis of CD99-positive round cell tumors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Ankara Abdurrahman Yurtarslan Oncology Training and Research Hospital, Turkey. fatmamarkoc@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Fatma
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Markoc
authors.forename: Nazan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bozdogan
authors.forename: Fisun Ardic
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Yükrük
authors.forename: Evrim Berkel
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Gumuc
authors.forename: Noyan Can
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Akdur
mesh_terms: D000071443:12E7 Antigen; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis; D018952:Antigens, CD34 / Q000032:analysis; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic / Q000032:analysis; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000032:analysis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005647:Fucosyltransferases / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D051917:Leukosialin / Q000032:analysis; D016256:Lewis X Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000032:analysis; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit / Q000032:analysis; D023981:Sarcoma, Myeloid / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D000097382:CD68 Molecule
chemical_list: D000071443:12E7 Antigen; D015703:Antigens, CD; D018952:Antigens, CD34; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D005647:Fucosyltransferases; D051917:Leukosialin; D016256:Lewis X Antigen; D009195:Peroxidase; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit; C067980:CD68 antigen, human; D000097382:CD68 Molecule; C061828:CD99 protein, human; C465014:SPN protein, human; C066693:FUT4 protein, human