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and Neck:
A Clinicopathologic and lmmunophenotypic Study
Twenty-seven cases of adult rhabdomyoma (ARM) of the head and cle diHel-entiation. I-” F.\,erl though the histolocgy of ARM
neck are reported. The 20 male and seven female patients ranged i5 distinctive, it often is mistaken for a variety of other
in age from 33 to 80 years (median age, 60 years). Symptoms included lesions, particularly granular cell tumor (GCT)?’ Pre-
airway obstruction and a mass within the mucosa or soft tissue.
\kms reports describe the inilnunohistoc~~e~iii~~ll fea-
Median tumor size was 3.0 cm (range, 1.5 to 7.5 cm). Seven patients
tures of a relatively small number of ARhis using a lim-
(26%) presented with multinodular tumors and one tumor was mul-
ited panel of antibodirs.x~‘~ Our study documents the
ticentric. Follow-up was available in 19 cases and ranged from 2
months to 18.5 years after diagnosis (median, 6.0 years). Lesions
clirli~opatholo~i~ fwtures of a large series of ARMS of
recurred locally in eight cases (42%) 2 to 11 years after diagnosis the head and neck as wx4 as a broader ininiunoprofile
(median, 6 years). One recurrence was multicentric. Histologically, than has been recognic.ed previously. The utility and
ARM was composed of closely packed, large polygonal cells having potential pitfalls of imnlunohistochenlical stains as well
abundant, eosinophilic, granular, or vacuolated glycogen-rich cy- as their histogrnetic implications are discussed in the
toplasm with focal cross-striations. Immunohistochemical stains cwntesl of the niorpho1ogic features that aid in differ-
confirmed skeletal muscle differentiation; the majority of tumors ential diagnosis.
stained for myoglobin (21 of 21 tumors), muscle-specific actin (21
of 21 tumors), and desmin (19 of 21 tumors). Focal or rare immu-
noreactivity for vimentin (six of 17 cases), alpha-smooth muscle MATERIALS AND METHODS
actin (17 of 20 cases), S-100 protein (14 of 21 cases), and Leu-7 (10
of 20 cases) also was detected. Cytokeratin, epithelial membrane
antigen, glial fibrillary acidic protein, and CD68 antigen (with KPl)
were not found. The characteristic histology and immunophenotype
distinguish ARM from other lesions with which it is frequently con-
fused, including granular cell tumor, hibernoma, oncocytoma, and
paraganglioma. The expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin has
not been reported previously in ARM; its presence could reflect
aberrant expression of smooth muscle actin in skeletal muscle or
possibly be a recapitulation of early skeletal muscle embryogenesis.
HUM PATHOL 24:608-617. This is a US government work. There
are no restrictions on its use.
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ADULT RHABDOMYOMA OF THE HEAD AND NECK (Kapadia et al)
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HUMAN PATHOLOGY Volume 24, No. 6 (June 1993)
Pathologic Features
On gross esaniinatioli the tumors were deep tan to
red-brown. cil~c.~inls~l~ihetl, lotmlated. and soft or fleshy
(Figs I ;untl 2). Subnnucosal tumors were sniooth, poly-
paid, and either sessile OJ‘ pedunculated. The niedian
tunio~~ six IV;IS3.0 cni (range, 1.5 to 7.5 CIII) in 20 cases
in which six bxs stated; in seven other cases the tunio~
FIGURE 1. Multinodular rhabdomyoma in buccal sulcus (cour- size ~vas tither unstated or described as “large.”
tesy of Dr P.H.J. Krogh, DDS).
Hi.stologically, all cases displayed the distinctive
features of AKM (Figs 3 to 7). Tu~~~c~r-swere composed
of‘~~elI-dc~n~u-~~lted. u~len~ap~ulatcd lobules (Figs 3 and
invoh4 the face. The duration ofsyniptcmis associated 4) of’ closel!, packed. large polygonal cells (Fig 5) with
with a mass lesion ranged frond 2 weeks to 3 years (me- sc‘ant stroma containing ec.tatic. to collapsed thin-walled
dian, 2 years). The mass w;is xi incidental &ding at vascular c~hannels. me tumor cells had small, round,
autopsy in one case and in two others it was found on centrallv or peripherally located nuclei with prominent
routine physical exmination for an unrelated condition. nucleoli and abundant, cosinophilic’. granular, 01‘ \ a(‘-
At onset the tumor usually was either 3 single mass or uolated cytoplasm (Fig 5). ,4 “spider web” ;q~pearatlce
nodule (19 cases) or multinodular (seven cases) with dis- was imparted to cells in which residual, radially oriented
crete tumor nodules in the sane anatonlic location (Fig strands of c$oplasni were seen around varying-sized,
I); one case was multicentric. (case no. 16) with separate peripheralI) located vacuoles (Figs 5 and 7). The cyto-
tumors in the larynx and suhmandibulal~ region. Ii plasm in all c‘ascs was rich in glycogen (periodic. acid-
Follow-up was a\-ailahfe in 1I) c‘ases and ranged li-oiii Sc~hifl-positive, diastase sensitive) (Fig 8). (:ytoplasnlic
2 months to 18.5 years (median interval, ti years); in c.l’oss-striatioris (Fig 6) and haphazardly arranged cq%al-
610
ADULT RHABDOMYOMA OF THE HEAD AND NECK (Kapadia et al)
lik ~t~~uctt~rw (Fig 7) were identified focalI) in henta- l)ttmot!p (ttt~o~lo~~itt-I)ositi\.e, JIS.4-positi\e. .ittd dcs-
t(~s\~litt-ro~iti-at~titted sections of tttost casc’s. ‘Fl~r mitt-positi\.c). hlttsc.le-specifics actitt (Fir< IO) and tttyo-
I( tr&t. wre better delineated with the ~Iasson tri- globitt bw~t‘ tlifitselv and strottglv posiiiw (3 I0 -I+) in
c.ltt-cmte (Fig 9) and phospltotungstic acid stains, and 2 1 01 L’I ~3st5. r&ttin slaining’ ( I !I of L’I (xY’~) was
l’ut-~hcr a(~ ctttuated with ittmtunostains for MSA (Fig cbf’lrrt p;tt(~tt\~ 01 more’ itttettsc* at tttv ~wri~~ttct-v 01‘ (ttc
IO), destttin, and tttyoglobin. Mitoses were not sc’en. Foci tissiw. proh1tt~l\ rc1atc.d to thr dqwta of fisatiott or ati-
of intlattttnation and necrosis with reactive nuclca~~ f’ca- tigc’tt pr~set~\at’ic~tr. Focal positi\,it\, 1’01’alpha-5M.4 was
tttres wet-c scc‘n in three ntucosal ARMS. prtwtit in 17 of20 c;tsc\. Vat-iahlv: oft(.tt Ivc~th positi\it\
Imtttrtttop”r”xidase staining results, tabulated in was c~t~srrvtd iii 1tmtor wlls for vitttt~ttlitt IIsix of I7 cases)
I able 2. c.ottfirrrted skeletal ntuscle differ-entiatiott in aitd S-t 00 proleitt (I 4 of 2 1 ( ;Iscs). ssc~;ll1tTrcl 1tll11ol‘
ARM. The tumor cells and adjacent r~ornl~~l skeletal c.vlls wcw positi\c with I.eu-i (10 of’20 C~SCX).No wac-
imscle, whert present, had a characteristic inttnttno- ti\itv IV;ISot,stwetl in ttttttor ( 4s li)r (;t*Al’. c.ylr)kc~t-atin.
611
HUMAN PATHOLOGY Volume 24, No. 6 (June 1993)
EMA, or CD68 antigen (WI); scattered slronial cells studies of the extracardiac rhabdomvomas are necessary
were positive fi)r Wl and plasma cells fi)r EMA. 10 determine whether these rare l&ions are true neo-
In addition to ARM, the contI-ibutors’ differential 1,1as111s.
diagnoses included, in decreasing O&I- of fiquerq~. The c.linicopatholo~c features of ARM documented
granular cell tumor, hiber-nonia, onc‘or‘ytoma, and pxa- in our series are comparable to those previously re-
gariglioma. In one case a rhal~doIii~os~~~~~o~Ii~I was con- ported. ‘,‘wJ” Although rare cases have been reported
sidered. ill children, “‘Z’S”! all of our cases were in adults, with
a 3: 1 male predominance. An occasional ARM may be
asymptomatic and found on routine physical examma-
DISCUSSION tion or at autopsy. Howecer. the majority of patients
present with airway obstruction or a mass in the head
Rhahdo~n);orr~as are rxe benign mesenchymal tu- and neck region. Similar to the findings in our series,
mors with striated nius~le differentiation rhac are c.las- the most c‘o~iimm mucosal site is the pliaryIix,“.L”i.““-“‘i
sified by location into c.ardiac’!‘~“’ and extracardiat~ followed by the oral cavity (tongue, floor of the mouth,
types. ‘z”~~~~‘i.2’The more conIII~m cardiac rhabdomy- palate. or buccal niucosa)
I .J.,,i.,7.L”l,‘li.3X and lar-
wnas are composed of modified myocardial cells and ynx. ‘.’ ‘J!‘-‘~ The neck is the single most con~nIon soft
may be multiple or diffusely involve the heart. “‘z” The) iissuc site of ARM.‘,“,‘,‘9
are reported to occur in approximately 50% of patients The terms “I~~~l~~ifi,cal”X.li~:“‘~:‘fi.~l~~” and “lllulti_
with tuberous sclerosis, may spontaneously regress, and centric”” have been applied, at times interchangeably,17
are thought to represent haillartomas rather than true to indicate ARM occurring as more than one separate
neoplasms. ’ W’ Extracardiac rhabdomyomas occur much tumor; these occurred either in the same location’ OI
less frequently than cardiac rhabdomyomas and have in separate sites, such as in the submandibular region
no known association with tuberous sclerosis. ‘.’ The, and larvnx. Ii floor of the mouth hilaterally,gx bilateral
have a predilection for the head and neck region (90% lleck,+.G ’I_’
lght neck and retrolaryngeal area,“” floor of the
of cases), especially the upper aerodigestive tract (phar- mouth aild larynx, ” and oropharynx, base of tongue.
ynx, larynx, and oral cavity) or soft tissue, although they and vallecula.” In our series, 26% of tumors were mul-
may occur rarely in rmusual sites, such as the orbit. va- tinodular at onset but only two occurred as multicentric
gina, bladder, esophagus, trunk, and extremities.“.“.“~” tumors; one of these involved the submandibular region
Extracardiac I-habdomyonlas often present as a solitary and larynx at presentation and was reported
mass and may recur if incomplerely excised. Whether preGous1) “; in another case. a laryngeal ,4RM recurred
they represent hamartomas or true neoplasms is unclear. 5 years later as a separate tumor in the soft palate. The
However, a recent case study of a recurrent ARM dem- local recurrence rate was high in our series (42%), pre-
onstrated clonal cytogenetic abnormalities in tumor cells sumably occurring after incomplete resection. Three of
that involved a reciprocal translocation of chromosomes the seven originally multinodular tumors in our study
15 and 1’7 and miscellaneous abnormalities in the long recurred locally, as did five of 13 uninodular masses;
arm of chromosome 10; these findings support the no- the recurrence rates are comparable and suggest that
tion that ARM is a true neoplasm. “’ Further cytogenetic multinodular masses are not associated with a higher
612
ADULT RHABDOMYOMA OF THE HEAD AND NECK (Kapadia et al)
613
HUMAN PATHOLOGY Volume 24, No. 6 (June 1993)
to either the Golgi apparatus or pliagolysosoti~es.~~~~‘~ either benign or malignant (oncocytic carcinomas). They
Hibernotnas are benign tutttors of brown fat usually oc- are composed of polyhedral cells having finely granular,
curring in the subcutaneous adipose tissue of the inter- eosinophilic cytoplasnt rich in tttitochortdria, as dent-
scapular region, axilla, or neck. Patients are frequently otistrated on ultrastructural examination. l’aragan-
younger than 40 years of age. Histologically, these tu- gliotnas are composed of polyhedral cells arranged in
mors are cotnposed of polygonal adipocytes with discrete an organoid pattern (Zellballen). The neuroendocrine
cell borders and central small nuclei. The abundant nature of tumor cells in paragangliottta may be con-
granular or finely vacuolated cytoplasm contains nu- firtned with ultrastructural demonstration of neuro-
tnerous small uniform lipid vacuoles and occasional ktitit secretor)’ granules or itnrnunohistochet~ti~~tl stains for
tinges of lipofuscin-like pigtnent. Oticocytotiias are ep- ntwroti-specific enolase. synaptophysiti, and/or cliro-
ithelial neoplasm of salivary gland origin that may be tiiogratiin.
111cmnfusing or clifidl cases the slwletal muscle IIiimulior-eat-ti\,it~ for viment in was f~ountl in otil!; six of
origin of ARM tna\: he confirmed by the dcmionstra- I 7 (uses in our study and often was l’oc~d alit1 pale. Sev-
tion of cytoplasnii;~ qlvcogcu and cross-striations 1,) twl of the AKILls previously rrporled li:rv~ keri negative
histochemical stains”‘+ or h,, ultrastructur;d ctetec- 101. vinieutiii.
tion of mvofilanieuts, Z-bands, and glycogcn gram The expression of alpl~~c-SR1,4 iti riial)dotiiyoblasts
ules TXII.IL’.~.~.L’~.~I:,: ‘is well iis Worig, diffuse immuno- of AKM has not ken reported prv\k)ual\..“’ Anti-alpha-
rractivity for MS,\, tlesmin, and myoglohin.“~’ ‘.“‘.‘-l Our SMA reacts spm3idlp with alpha-ShlA ~~ntl is riot found
study shows that tumor cells in ARM also ma\ demo~l- ill normal adult striated muscle.” Howt‘wr, in a recent
st rat’& focal or rare ilnl7iunorractivity for vim&tin aid 4tud\ 0I liuuian rhal)doni~osai.coIii~is. likalli vt al ob-
alpha-SM.4 along_ with MSA. clesmin, and mwglobin. wr~~i c.o-vspwssion of alpha-SMA and dpha-sarcom-
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HUMAN PATHOLOGY Volume 24, NO. 6 (June 1993)
616
ADULT RHABDOMYOMA OF THE HEAD AND NECK (Kapadia et al)
617