TY - JOUR
T1 - Cutaneous clear cell sarcoma
T2 - A clinicopathologic, immunohistochemical, and molecular analysis of 12 cases emphasizing its distinction from dermal melanoma
AU - Hantschke, Markus
AU - Mentzel, Thomas
AU - Rütten, Arno
AU - Palmedo, Gabriele
AU - Calonje, Eduardo
AU - Lazar, Alexander J.
AU - Kutzner, Heinz
PY - 2010/2
Y1 - 2010/2
N2 - Clear cell sarcoma (CCS) of tendons and aponeuroses/malignant melanoma (MM) of soft parts is a rare tumor and in the majority of cases presents a characteristic reciprocal translocation t(12;22)(q13;q12) that results in fusion of the EWS and ATF1 genes. Although the melanocytic differentiation of CCS is indisputable, its precise lineage remains unclear. Typically, the slowly growing tumor affects the extremities of adolescents or young adults, especially around the ankle and foot. CCS is classically regarded as a deep soft tissue tumor associated with tendons or aponeuroses. This traditional view is put into perspective by the description of primary CCS of the gastrointestinal tract that may have a variant fusion gene EWSR1-CREB1. We describe 12 cases of cutaneous CCS and discuss the differential diagnoses. These 12 cases share an identical immunohistochemical profile with MM and thus can easily be confused with a dermal variant of spindle cell MM or metastasis of MM. The patients' ages ranged from 6 to 74 years (median: 25 y), and there was a female predominance (10 females, 2 males). Most tumors (n=9) were located on the extremities, 2 tumors arose on the back, and 1 on the abdomen. The mean tumor size was 0.97 cm (range, 0.4 to 1.7 cm). Six cases showed invasion of the subcutis, the other 6 cases were entirely dermal. Tumor necrosis was evident in 2 cases, melanin pigment in 2 cases, and ulceration in 1 tumor. All cases showed uniform nests and fascicles of pale spindled or slightly epitheloid cells with finely granular eosinophilic or clear cytoplasm. There was fair pleomorphism with plump spindled nuclei and significantly prominent nucleoli. Multinucleated wreath-like tumor giant cells were observed in two-thirds of cases, but were usually present only focally. The dense cellular aggregates were encased by delicate fibrous septa. The stroma showed a sclerotic reticulated pattern. Partly, the nests of spindle cells bordered the epidermis, prima vista mimicking junctional nests of melanocytes. The specific translocation pattern was confirmed in all cases by fluorescence in situ hybridization. Local recurrences and metastases developed in 2 and 3 patients, respectively, and 1 patient died of the disease.
AB - Clear cell sarcoma (CCS) of tendons and aponeuroses/malignant melanoma (MM) of soft parts is a rare tumor and in the majority of cases presents a characteristic reciprocal translocation t(12;22)(q13;q12) that results in fusion of the EWS and ATF1 genes. Although the melanocytic differentiation of CCS is indisputable, its precise lineage remains unclear. Typically, the slowly growing tumor affects the extremities of adolescents or young adults, especially around the ankle and foot. CCS is classically regarded as a deep soft tissue tumor associated with tendons or aponeuroses. This traditional view is put into perspective by the description of primary CCS of the gastrointestinal tract that may have a variant fusion gene EWSR1-CREB1. We describe 12 cases of cutaneous CCS and discuss the differential diagnoses. These 12 cases share an identical immunohistochemical profile with MM and thus can easily be confused with a dermal variant of spindle cell MM or metastasis of MM. The patients' ages ranged from 6 to 74 years (median: 25 y), and there was a female predominance (10 females, 2 males). Most tumors (n=9) were located on the extremities, 2 tumors arose on the back, and 1 on the abdomen. The mean tumor size was 0.97 cm (range, 0.4 to 1.7 cm). Six cases showed invasion of the subcutis, the other 6 cases were entirely dermal. Tumor necrosis was evident in 2 cases, melanin pigment in 2 cases, and ulceration in 1 tumor. All cases showed uniform nests and fascicles of pale spindled or slightly epitheloid cells with finely granular eosinophilic or clear cytoplasm. There was fair pleomorphism with plump spindled nuclei and significantly prominent nucleoli. Multinucleated wreath-like tumor giant cells were observed in two-thirds of cases, but were usually present only focally. The dense cellular aggregates were encased by delicate fibrous septa. The stroma showed a sclerotic reticulated pattern. Partly, the nests of spindle cells bordered the epidermis, prima vista mimicking junctional nests of melanocytes. The specific translocation pattern was confirmed in all cases by fluorescence in situ hybridization. Local recurrences and metastases developed in 2 and 3 patients, respectively, and 1 patient died of the disease.
KW - Clear cell sarcoma
KW - Melanoma
KW - Melanoma of soft parts
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=75649134948&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=75649134948&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1097/PAS.0b013e3181c7d8b2
DO - 10.1097/PAS.0b013e3181c7d8b2
M3 - Article
C2 - 20087159
AN - SCOPUS:75649134948
SN - 0147-5185
VL - 34
SP - 216
EP - 222
JO - American Journal of Surgical Pathology
JF - American Journal of Surgical Pathology
IS - 2
ER -