NF1-Associated Inflammatory Polyp of the Colon: First Report of a Sporadic Case

Int J Surg Pathol. 2022 Oct;30(7):823-827. doi: 10.1177/10668969221085819. Epub 2022 Mar 8.

Abstract

"Juvenile-like (hyperplastic/inflammatory) mucosal polyp" is a term proposed for rare benign mesenchymal lesions of the gastro-intestinal tract so far reported only in patients with type 1 neurofibromatosis (NF1). We report here a first sporadic case of NF1-associated mucosal inflammatory polyp of the colon. The diagnosis was made in a 53-year old female patient with a large polypoid tumor of the cecum. The lesion was predominantly mucosal, made of fibroblast-like cells associated with inflammatory infiltrates rich in eosinophils and containing entrapped, distorted epithelial glands, responsible for the juvenile-like appearance. Whole exome sequencing showed a pathogenic variant of NF1. The patient had no evidence of NF1; no NF1 mutation was detected in normal tissues. Our observation may support the existence of juvenile-like inflammatory polyps associated with NF1 alterations, either germline or somatic. This justifies to test NF1 in difficult-to-classify gastrointestinal mesenchymal tumors.

Keywords: NF1 gene; inflammatory fibroid polyp; juvenile-like (hyperplastic/inflammatory) mucosal polyp; type 1 neurofibromatosis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Cecum / pathology
  • Colon / pathology
  • Exome Sequencing
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Inflammation / pathology
  • Middle Aged
  • Neurofibromatosis 1* / complications
  • Neurofibromatosis 1* / diagnosis
  • Neurofibromatosis 1* / genetics
  • Polyps* / complications
  • Polyps* / diagnosis
  • Polyps* / genetics