A follicular dendritic cell sarcoma of the mediastinum with immature T cells and association with myasthenia gravis

Am J Surg Pathol. 2010 May;34(5):742-5. doi: 10.1097/PAS.0b013e3181d7a2ee.

Abstract

Follicular dendritic cell (FDC) sarcoma is a very rare neoplasm showing morphologic and phenotypic features of FDCs. It occurs primarily in lymph nodes but also in extranodal sites. So far, there have been no reports on FDC sarcoma associated with myasthenia gravis. In the following we will present a case of an FDC tumor of the mediastinum associated with paraneoplastic myasthenia gravis in a 39-year-old man. The tumor contained a major proportion of immature T cells, which may be connected to this patient's very unusual clinical presentation with autoimmune phenomena. Extranodal FDC sarcomas still seem hardly noticed, and their clinical and pathologic characteristics remain to be better defined.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Azathioprine / therapeutic use
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / metabolism
  • Dendritic Cell Sarcoma, Follicular / complications
  • Dendritic Cell Sarcoma, Follicular / metabolism
  • Dendritic Cell Sarcoma, Follicular / pathology*
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / therapeutic use
  • Lymph Nodes / pathology
  • Male
  • Mediastinal Neoplasms / complications
  • Mediastinal Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Mediastinal Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Myasthenia Gravis / complications
  • Myasthenia Gravis / drug therapy
  • Myasthenia Gravis / pathology*
  • T-Lymphocytes / pathology*
  • Thymectomy

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Immunosuppressive Agents
  • Azathioprine