Myopericytoma: a unifying term for a spectrum of tumours that show overlapping features with myofibroma. A review of 14 cases

• Published in: Journal of clinical pathology 2006-01, Vol.59 (1), p.67-73
• Main Authors: Dray, M S, McCarthy, S W, Palmer, A A, Bonar, S F, Stalley, P D, Marjoniemi, V, Millar, E, Scolyer, R A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Biological and medical sciences; Diagnosis, Differential; Female; glomangiopericytoma; Glomus Tumor - pathology; GPC; haemangiopericytoma; Hemangiopericytoma - pathology; HPC; Humans; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; MPC; myofibroma; Myofibroma - pathology; myopericytoma; Original; Pathology. Cytology. Biochemistry. Spectrometry. Miscellaneous investigative techniques; perivascular myoma; Retrospective Studies; Sarcoma - diagnosis; Skin Neoplasms - pathology; SMA; smooth muscle actin; soft tissue; Soft Tissue Neoplasms - pathology; Terminology as Topic; WHO; World Health Organisation
• ISSN: 0021-9746; 1472-4146
• DOI: 10.1136/jcp.2005.028704

Background: Myopericytoma (MPC) is a recently proposed term to describe a group of tumours that originate from perivascular myoid cells and show a range of histological growth patterns. Only a small number of series describing MPC have been reported. MPC is frequently misdiagnosed as a sarcoma. Aims: To document the clinical and histopathological findings of a series of MPCs, to describe the range of growth patterns and morphological spectrum, and to compare MPC with myofibroma (MF). Patients/Methods: Fourteen patients with features of MPC and/or MF were identified from the archival files of the department of anatomical pathology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, Australia. Results: There were six female and eight male patients. The mean and median patient ages were 37 and 35.5 years, respectively. The tumours were located in the skin, subcutis, or superficial soft tissues of the distal extremities (13 patients) or the head and neck region (one patient), and showed a spectrum of morphological appearances. They were divided into two groups based upon the predominant growth pattern corresponding to MPC (seven cases) and MF (seven cases). The feature most suggestive of MPC was the presence of a concentric perivascular arrangement of plump spindle shaped cells. The presence of a zonation/biphasic appearance was most characteristic of MF. Conclusions: MPC exhibits a spectrum of growth patterns that overlap with MF. Tumours can be designated as MPC or MF depending on the predominant growth pattern.