SKELETAL-MUSCLE REGENERATION MIMICKING RHABDOMYOSARCOMA - A POTENTIALDIAGNOSTIC PITFALL

Citation
L. Guillou et al., SKELETAL-MUSCLE REGENERATION MIMICKING RHABDOMYOSARCOMA - A POTENTIALDIAGNOSTIC PITFALL, Histopathology, 33(2), 1998, pp. 136-144
Citations number
20
Categorie Soggetti
Cell Biology",Pathology
Journal title
ISSN journal
03090167
Volume
33
Issue
2
Year of publication
1998
Pages
136 - 144
Database
ISI
SICI code
0309-0167(1998)33:2<136:SRMR-A>2.0.ZU;2-4
Abstract
Aims: We report three cases of skeletal muscle regeneration, of which two mimicked a small round cell tumour, especially a rhabdomyosarcoma. Methods and results: One case presented as an intramuscular mass, loc ated in the right quadriceps of a 12-year-old male; the second patient was a 25-year-old football player who complained of painful left pero neus muscles: the third patient was a 22-year-old male who underwent a n amputation of the right thigh 5 days after right leg amputation due to limb crush. Histologically, muscle biopsy specimens showed a prolif eration of small round cells, either infiltrating the striated muscle in a diffuse manner or growing within and around necrotic myofibres. I mmunohistochemically and ultrastructurally, the cellular population wa s composed of two types of cells: phagocytic cells the nuclei of which occasionally showed a wreathlike arrangement around necrotic myofibre s resulting in structures resembling Langhans-type multinucleated gian t cells, and proliferating satellite cells showing enlarged nuclei, pr ominent nucleoli, mitotic figures, myogenic differentiation and fusion features in order to form regenerating myotubes. Conclusions: Muscle regeneration is a benign process that may occasionally mimic a small r ound cell proliferation resembling a lymphoma or an alveolar rhabdomyo sarcoma with which it should not be confused.