Dedifferentiated liposarcoma of the pyriform sinus: report of a case and review of the literature

Int J Surg Pathol. 2002 Jan;10(1):75-9. doi: 10.1177/106689690201000113.

Abstract

Laryngeal and hypopharyngeal liposarcomas are extraordinarily infrequent tumors. To the best of our knowledge there are fewer than 40 well-documented cases reported to date. Almost all of them are well-differentiated liposarcomas, with only 2 laryngeal-hypopharyngeal dedifferentiated liposarcomas. Dedifferentiated liposarcoma is defined as a well-differentiated liposarcoma with areas of high-grade spindle cell nonlipogenic sarcoma. The well-differentiated areas may be of a lipoma-like, sclerosing, or mixed type, and the dedifferentiated areas most frequently are of malignant fibrous hystiocytoma-like type. Despite its commonly pleomorphic histology, dedifferentiated liposarcoma does not behave as aggressively as most pleomorphic sarcomas of adulthood; however, it has the capacity to metastasize, in contrast to its well-differentiated counterpart. We present a case of dedifferentiated liposarcoma arising in the pyriform sinus, an event only twice reported previously in the literature.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Laryngectomy
  • Liposarcoma / metabolism
  • Liposarcoma / pathology*
  • Liposarcoma / physiopathology
  • Liposarcoma / surgery
  • Male
  • Otorhinolaryngologic Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Otorhinolaryngologic Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Otorhinolaryngologic Neoplasms / physiopathology
  • Otorhinolaryngologic Neoplasms / surgery

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor