title: Mast cells density in fibrotic capsule of enchondroma and well-differentiated chondrosarcoma: a method for histopathologic differentiation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  An enchondroma is a benign and a well-differentiated chondrosarcoma is an invasive chondroid tumor with high recurrence potential. In spite of biologic differences, these two tumors have very similar histopathologic appearance. It has been shown that the biologic nature of the connective tissue around benign and malignant tumors varies in the number of mast cells. The aim of this study was to study the histopathologic distinction of enchondroma and well-differentiated chondrosarcoma using the density of the mast cells in fibrotic capsule.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twelve enchondroma and 15 well-differentiated chondrosarcoma were collected from Pathology department of Cancer Institute and Central Pathology department of Imam Khomeini Hospital in Tehran. 3 micron paraffin embedded tissue sections were stained by toluidine blue for mast cells counting. Mast cells were counted in fibrous capsule of all cases. Mast cells counts were accomplished in 10 high power fields. The average number of mast cells in 10HPF was determined as an index for each lesion. Mann-Whitney U test was used for statistical analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean index in enchondroma and well-differentiated chondrosarcoma groups were 0.1±0.12 and 0.31±0.33 respectively, showing a significant difference between number of mast cells in the fibrotic capsule in these two lesions (p = 0.028). Comparison of the corresponding points in ROC curve, showed a cut-off point = 0.15, with positive predictive value of 61%, negative predictive value 71%, specificity of 33.3% and sensitivity of 66.7%, (p = 0.025).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Average density of the mast cells in the surrounding fibrotic capsules of enchondroma and well-differentiated chondrosarcoma along with other criterions, could be a beneficial factor for histologically differentiation between these two lesions.
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology Dept, Faculty of Dentistry, Shahed University. Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Noushin Jalayer
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Naderi
authors.forename: Shams Shariat
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Tarabghan
authors.forename: Mohsen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Merati
authors.forename: Mahdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ashouri
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Majidi
authors.forename: Mohammad Javad Kharazi
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Fard
keywords: Enchondroma; Mast cell; Toluidine blue staining; Well-differentiated Chondrosarcoma