MYXOFIBROSARCOMA - CORRELATIVE CYTOLOGIC AND HISTOLOGIC-STUDY OF 13 CASES EXAMINED BY FINE NEEDLE ASPIRATION CYTOLOGY

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  • 1 January 1980
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 24  (2) , 137-144
Abstract
A correlative cytologic and histologic study of 13 [human] myxofibrosarcomas is presented. The myxofibrosarcomas were grouped histologically into 4 grades (I-IV) according to the degree of cellularity, atypia and prevalence of mitotic figures. Cytologically, the neoplasms exhibited 2 types of malignant cells: an elongated, spindle-shaped, fibroblast-like cell and a larger, histiocyte-like cell, often embedded in myxoid material. Some aspirates contained small capillary-like fragments. The degree of cellular and nuclear polymorphism and the quantitative distribution between the 2 types of cells in the different grades corresponded to the histologic classification. The differential diagnosis between myxofibrosarcoma and other myxoid soft tissue neoplasms is discussed. Staining the aspirated material with Alcian blue at different pH helps to distinguish between myxomatous mesenchymal neoplasms containing nonsulfated glucosaminoglycans, such as myxofibrosarcoma and those containing sulfated ones, such as myxoid chondrosarcoma and chordoma.