title: Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors of the head and neck: evaluation of clinicopathologic and prognostic features.
abstract: Head and neck lesions composed of spindle cells evoke a differential diagnosis which includes a host of benign and malignant entities. One of the less common spindle cell lesions in this region is the inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT). Although IMTs were originally regarded as "pseudotumors", they are now recognized to be true neoplasms. Local recurrence, and, rarely, malignant change have been reported. Currently, the definitive means of diagnosing IMTs is the identification of a rearrangement of the anaplastic lymphoma kinase gene (at chromosome 2p23) by fluorescence in situ hybridization. The histopathologic differential diagnosis includes infectious processes, other fibro-inflammatory lesions, lymphoma, the inflammatory variant of malignant fibrous histiocytoma, and sarcomatoid (spindle cell) carcinoma. Complete surgical excision is the treatment of choice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Allegiance Health, Jackson, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Kenneth O
authors.initials: KO
authors.lastname: Devaney
authors.forename: Daniel J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Lafeir
authors.forename: Asterios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Triantafyllou
authors.forename: William M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Mendenhall
authors.forename: Julia A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Woolgar
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rinaldo
authors.forename: Alfio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ferlito
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000077548:Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006104:Granuloma, Plasma Cell / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009379:Neoplasms, Muscle Tissue / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D011379:Prognosis; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: C000626173:ALK protein, human; D000077548:Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases