Ectomesenchymal chondromyxoid tumour of the tongue. A review of histological and immunohistochemical features.
BACKGROUND
Ectomesenchymal chondromyxoid tumour (ECT) is a rare, benign neoplasm of uncertain histogenesis, which appears to exclusively involve the oral cavity, particularly the tongue.


METHODS
We report the case of a 27-year-old woman with a 0.7 cm tumoral lesion of 3 months' duration on the dorsum of the tongue. Histologically, it comprised well-circumscribed, unencapsulated lobular proliferations of fusiform and polygonal cells, with varying degrees of cellularity, with neoplastic cells often set in a myxoid, chondroid or hyalinized background. Immunohistochemistry revealed positivity of the neoplastic cells for antibodies directed against S-100, glial fibrillary acidic protein and vimentin, plus negativity for CD-57(leu-7), epithelial membrane antigen, smooth muscle actin, desmin and cytokeratin AE1-AE3. The diagnosis was consistent with ECT. Total excision was performed and there has been no recurrence after 10 months' follow-up.


CONCLUSIONS
This is the 37th case reported in the English language literature; ECT is characterized microscopically by a biphasic myxoid and chondroid pattern. Immunohistochemical expression of S100, glial fibrillary acidic protein and vimentin, very helpful in confirming diagnosis, suggest a probable mesenchymal and neural origin of this rare entity.
Department of Pathology, S Gerardo Hospital, Via Pergolesi 33, Monza, Italy. f.angiero@teos.it
Francesca
F
Angiero
D000328:Adult; D002812:Chondroma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D003893:Desmin / Q000378:metabolism; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008637:Mesenchymoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D009232:Myxoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D009418:S100 Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D014746:Vimentin / Q000378:metabolism
D003893:Desmin; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D009418:S100 Proteins; D014746:Vimentin