Glandular malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor: an unusual case showing histologically malignant glands

Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2000 Sep;124(9):1364-8. doi: 10.5858/2000-124-1364-GMPNST.

Abstract

In this report, we describe a highly unusual case of glandular malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor presenting as a neck mass in a previously healthy 29-year-old man. Grossly, the tumor was found to arise from a swollen peripheral nerve trunk. The tumor was largely composed of spindle cells that demonstrated marked nuclear pleomorphism and numerous abnormal mitotic figures. In addition, histologically malignant glandular structures lined by simple nonciliated columnar cells with goblet cells were found clustered in the center of the tumor. Examination of the swollen peripheral nerve trunk revealed the presence of a plexiform neurofibroma. The spindle cells were positive for S100. The glands were negative for S100 but positive for keratin, epithelial membrane antigen, and neuroendocrine markers (somatostatin, chromogranin, Leu-7, and calcitonin). This patient was subsequently diagnosed as having von Recklinghausen disease and died of tumor metastasis to the lungs 34 months after the presentation. To our knowledge, only 3 similar cases have been previously described in the literature.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Biomarkers / analysis
  • Carcinoembryonic Antigen / analysis
  • Cell Nucleus / pathology
  • Epithelial Cells / pathology
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Head and Neck Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Head and Neck Neoplasms / surgery
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Keratins / analysis
  • Lung Neoplasms / secondary
  • Male
  • Mitosis
  • Mucin-1 / analysis
  • Nerve Sheath Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Nerve Sheath Neoplasms / surgery
  • Neurofibromatosis 1 / pathology*
  • Neurofibromatosis 1 / surgery
  • S100 Proteins / analysis
  • Skin Neoplasms / pathology
  • Skin Neoplasms / surgery

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • CAM 5.2 antigen
  • Carcinoembryonic Antigen
  • Mucin-1
  • S100 Proteins
  • Keratins