Lipoblastic differentiation in a primary localized fibrous mesothelioma of the peritoneum

Our plain-English summary of Lipoblastic differentiation in a primary localized fibrous mesothelioma of the peritoneum, by A. Donna, P.G. Betta, M. Ribotta (Pathology, Research and Practice, 1996).

The study

• Authors: A. Donna, P.G. Betta, M. Ribotta
• Journal: Pathology, Research and Practice
• Published: 1996;192(12):1252-6; discussion 1257-8
• Type of article: Case report
• Cited by: 2 articles, as counted by NIH iCite
• Read it: PubMed · Publisher

Abstract

Lipoblastic differentiation in fibrous mesotheliomas is an extremely rare occurrence. We present the histological and immunohistochemical features of a case of localized peritoneal mesothelioma with lipoblastic differentiation in an 80-year old man and discuss the differential diagnosis with liposarcoma.

In plain English

This article was a case report by pathologists in Alessandria and Casale Monferrato, Italy, about one patient: an 80-year-old man who had an acute abdomen due to large bowel obstruction. At surgery, a large pedunculated mass arising in the omentum next to the hepatic flexure was compressing the colon. It was totally removed. It was an encapsulated mass measuring 16 x 14 x 13 cm. Under the microscope, scattered tumour cells stained positively for fat, and the authors judged that a few of them met published criteria for lipoblasts (immature fat cells). Many tumour cells reacted with an anti-mesothelial cell antibody (AMAD-2) developed by two of the authors. Ten myxoid liposarcomas stained in the same batch were negative. The tumour was diagnosed as a localized fibrous mesothelioma of the peritoneum with focal differentiation into adipose tissue elements. The patient had no past history of professional or environmental exposure to asbestos. The authors concluded that this kind of differentiation is uncommon but has probably been overlooked in the past, and that some such lesions were likely misdiagnosed as myxoid liposarcomas.

We wrote this plain-English summary from the full article with the help of AI, and a second AI model checked each sentence against the article. It is not the authors' wording; the abstract and the article are their own account.

What the study did and found

• Design: case report (single patient), with histological and immunohistochemical study
• Who was studied: One 80-year-old man with a primary localized tumour of the peritoneum. The authors work in pathology services in Alessandria and Casale Monferrato, Italy. The date of the case is not stated.
• Exposure: No asbestos exposure: the patient had no past history of professional or environmental exposure to asbestos. No fiber type is discussed.
• Main results:
  • In this patient, a large pedunculated mass arising in the omentum next to the hepatic flexure was compressing the colon. It was totally resected.
  • The removed tumour was an encapsulated mass measuring 16 x 14 x 13 cm.
  • With a fat stain (Sudan-red) on frozen sections, scattered tumour cells had positively stained cytoplasm.
  • On immunostaining, vimentin was strongly positive in all cells. Many cells reacted with the anti-mesothelial cell antibody AMAD-2, which was developed by two of the authors.
  • Ten myxoid liposarcomas from typical sites, stained in the same batch with the same antibody, were negative.
  • The lesion was diagnosed as a localized fibrous mesothelioma of the peritoneum with focal differentiation into adipose tissue elements.
• The authors' conclusion: The authors concluded that lipoblastic differentiation of peritoneal fibrous mesothelioma is uncommon but has probably been neglected in the past. In their view, unfamiliarity with their 'mesodermoma concept' and the lack of specific anti-mesothelial cell antibodies probably led to lesions like this one being misdiagnosed as myxoid liposarcomas.
• Limitations the authors state:
  • The authors noted that fat in tumour cells does not necessarily indicate fatty origin or differentiation, even when vacuoles stain positive for fat.

Topics

The National Library of Medicine indexes this study under subjects our site covers: Mesothelioma, Peritoneal mesothelioma.

Medical terms in this study, explained in our Lexicon: Mesothelioma, Peritoneum, Peritoneal Mesothelioma, Differential Diagnosis.

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