4. Results
Case 1
A 67-year-old male patient presented to the Oro-Maxillo-Facial Surgery Clinic with a soft tissue mass located on the right mandibular alveolar ridge. The lesion had an irregular shape, and 1.5/2/3 cm in size. At palpation, mobility to the underlying mandibular bone structure was noted, with a discrete hemorrhagic phenomenon in the moment of examination. The patient denied local sensitivity, spontaneous pain or any disturbances. The onset of symptoms was approximately three years ago. The patient had no history of neoplastic disease.
The native computed tomography scan revealed the presence of a mandibular tissue mass, without any osteolysis and upper right cervical adenopathy of 1.7 cm, respectively, upper left cervical adenopathy of 1 cm in diameter. Because of the high blood level of the creatinine value, intravenous contrast media could not be used.
Under local anesthesia, an incisional biopsy of the mandibular tissue mass was performed, and the harvested fragments were examined microscopically.
The histopathological examination in Hematoxylin-Eosin staining revealed a malignant tumor proliferation consisting of large polyhedral cells, arranged in nests and lobules, with important cytonuclear atypia. Tumor cells had large, pale cytoplasm and enlarged, oval or irregularly contoured, pleomorphic and vesicular nuclei, with eosinophilic macronucleoli. The tumor stroma showed fine connective septa with a delicate vascular network and extravasated erythrocytes (
Figure 1 and
Figure 2). A presumptive diagnosis of malignant tumor was made.
The immunohistochemical reactions were asked for in order to confirm the phenotype of the tumor cells and to differentiate between carcinoma, achromic melanoma with epithelioid cells, leiomyosarcoma or rhabdomyosarcoma, angiosarcoma and even a Kaposi’s sarcoma. and the site of primary malignancy. The tumor cells were immunohistochemically positive for CK AE1/AE3 and vimentin (
Figure 3) and negative immunohistochemical for S100 protein, HMB45, Melan-A, SMA, desmin, CD31, CD34 and HHV8, confirming the epithelial origin of the tumor.
The next step was to establish the cytokeratin profile of the tumor using the cytokeratins 7, 20, 8/18 and 5 (
Figure 4 and
Figure 5). Because of the concomitant positivity of tumor cells for pan cytokeratin AE1/AE3 and vimentin, the antibodies panel was completed with EMA (
Figure 6), RCC and CD10 (
Figure 7). The tumor cells phenotype was CK AE1/AE3+, CK8/18+, vimentin+, RCC+, CD10+, CK7-, CK20-, CK5-, EMA-.
Based on the immunohistochemical profile, the diagnosis of mandibular metastasis of eosinophilic variant of clear cell renal cell carcinoma was established.
Case 2
A 79-year-old female patient, with a history of clear cell renal cell carcinoma, diagnosed and surgically removed with free margins approximately 20 years ago, presented herself to the Otorhinolaryngology Department with a polypoid tissue mass at the level of the nasal fossa. The lesion was 1/0.9/0.7 cm in size. The lesion was painless, but slightly hemorrhagic at the exploratory examination. The patient observed the occurrence of the lesion six months prior to the presentation, with slow growing character.
Under local anesthesia, an excisional biopsy of the tissue mass was performed and the harvested fragments were sent to the Service of Pathology, in buffered formaldehyde.
The histopathological examination of Hematoxylin-Eosin stained slides revealed a malignant tumor proliferation consisting of large polyhedral cells with compact and alveolar cellular arrangements, and moderate clear cytoplasm, rounded nucleus and fine granular chromatin pattern with small inconspicuous nucleoli (
Figure 8). The malignant cells delineated variable sized cyst filled with eosinophilic acellular material. The tumor stroma showed delicate fibrous septa, rich, branched vascular network and areas of fibrinoid necrosis (
Figure 9). On HE stained slides, the presumptive diagnosis of clear cell carcinoma was raised. Based on personal history of the patient, the suppositional diagnosis of nasal septum metastasis from clear cell renal cell carcinoma was made.
Immunohistochemical reactions were performed in order to phenotype the tumor cells and to sustain the renal origin. The tumor cells showed positivity for CK8/18 and negativity for CK7 (
Figure 10), CK20 and CK5 (
Figure 11). The positive reactions for EMA, CD10 (
Figure 12), vimentin and RCC (
Figure 13) sustained the renal origin. Based on the immunohistochemical profile and the history of clear cell renal carcinoma, the diagnosis of nasal metastasis of a clear cell renal cell carcinoma was signed out.
Case 3
A 63-year-old male patient, with several comorbidities (cerebrovascular accident, high blood pressure) presented in the Oro-Maxillo-Facial Surgery Clinic accusing the presence of an abnormal masse, with spontaneous pain response and on palpation in the right masseter region, of about 3-4 cm, imprecisely delimited, apparently fixed to the underlying mandibular bone plane, of relatively low consistency. Anamnestic, the patient established the appearance of the lesion 2 months before the current presentation, with a continuous and rapid growth. In the past, the patient underwent surgical removal (in 2018) and radio-chemotherapy oncological treatment (in 2019) for a liver carcinoma.
The computed tomography scan with contrast media revealed the presence of a tissue mass in the masticatory space on the right side. The dimensions of the lesion were 5.5/3.6 cm in axial plane. The lesion was moderately inhomogeneous (
Figure 14), because of the necrotic areas (
Figure 15), most probably with mandibular starting point, that infiltrates both the masseter and adjacent pterygoid muscle, that lyses the mandibular condyle (
Figure 16) and the proximal segment of the vertical branch of the right mandible, avoiding the ipsilateral parapharyngeal space. The formation did not show a definite delimitation from the right parotid gland, instead it showed the lack of visualization of the jugular vein on the right side and no significant cervical lymphadenopathy.
In March 2021, an incisional biopsy was performed. Several tumor samples were taken by extraoral approach. The collected tissue was sent to the Service of Pathology of Timisoara’s Emergency City Hospital, for the histopathological examination.
Microscopic examination revealed a cellular proliferation with trabecular pattern, composed of polygonal cells, with moderate cytonuclear pleomorphism and abundant granular eosinophilic cytoplasm. Some tumor cells were binucleated, with large, rounded nuclei, irregularly dispersed chromatin with inconspicuous nucleoli. Tumor cells bordered optically empty "sinusoidal-like" spaces. The tumor was circumscribed by a pseudocapsule of fibrous connective tissue (
Figure 17). Based on the HE microscopic aspects of the tumor and the history of hepatocellular carcinoma, mandibular metastasis from the liver tumor was suspected.
Additional immunohistochemical reactions were used in order to sustain the presumptive diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma. The cytokeratins profile showed CK 8/18 positivity and CK7 (
Figure 18), CK20 and CK5 negativity (
Figure 19). The hepatic origin was sustained by immunohistochemical positivity for HepPar-1, AFP (
Figure 20) and CD 10 (
Figure 21a) and negativity for monoclonal CEA (
Figure 21b).
The morphological aspects correlated with the immunohistochemical profile, associated with the patient's history, established the final diagnosis of mandibular bone metastasis with primary hepatic site.
Figure 1.
Microscopic imaging – HE-staining of gingival mucosa with tumoral proliferation: (a) ob. 5x; (b) ob. 20x.
Figure 1.
Microscopic imaging – HE-staining of gingival mucosa with tumoral proliferation: (a) ob. 5x; (b) ob. 20x.
Figure 2.
Microscopic imaging – HE-staining: (a) tumor cells, ob. 40x; (b) gingival mucosa with tumor cells, ob. 40x.
Figure 2.
Microscopic imaging – HE-staining: (a) tumor cells, ob. 40x; (b) gingival mucosa with tumor cells, ob. 40x.
Figure 3.
Microscopic imaging – immunohistochemical profile: (a) positive reaction for CK AE1/AE3, ob. 40x; (b) positive reaction for vimentin, ob. 40x.
Figure 3.
Microscopic imaging – immunohistochemical profile: (a) positive reaction for CK AE1/AE3, ob. 40x; (b) positive reaction for vimentin, ob. 40x.
Figure 4.
Microscopic imaging – immunohistochemical profile: (a) strong positive reaction for CK8/18, ob. 40x; (b) negative reaction for CK7, ob. 40x.
Figure 4.
Microscopic imaging – immunohistochemical profile: (a) strong positive reaction for CK8/18, ob. 40x; (b) negative reaction for CK7, ob. 40x.
Figure 5.
Microscopic imaging – immunohistochemical profile: (a) negative reaction for CK20, ob. 40x; (b) negative reaction for CK5 with internal positive control on the covering parakeratinized stratified squamous epithelium of gingival mucosa, ob. 40x.
Figure 5.
Microscopic imaging – immunohistochemical profile: (a) negative reaction for CK20, ob. 40x; (b) negative reaction for CK5 with internal positive control on the covering parakeratinized stratified squamous epithelium of gingival mucosa, ob. 40x.
Figure 6.
Microscopic imaging – immunohistochemical profile: negative reaction for EMA with internal positive control on the covering parakeratinized stratified squamous epithelium of gingival mucosa, ob. 40x.
Figure 6.
Microscopic imaging – immunohistochemical profile: negative reaction for EMA with internal positive control on the covering parakeratinized stratified squamous epithelium of gingival mucosa, ob. 40x.
Figure 7.
Microscopic imaging – immunohistochemical profile: (a) positive reaction for CD10, ob. 40x; (b) positive reaction for RCC, ob. 40x.
Figure 7.
Microscopic imaging – immunohistochemical profile: (a) positive reaction for CD10, ob. 40x; (b) positive reaction for RCC, ob. 40x.
Figure 8.
Microscopic imaging – HE-stained slides: (a) nasal mucosa with tumoral proliferation, ob. 5x; (b) tumoral cells with acinar and nested pattern, ob. 20x.
Figure 8.
Microscopic imaging – HE-stained slides: (a) nasal mucosa with tumoral proliferation, ob. 5x; (b) tumoral cells with acinar and nested pattern, ob. 20x.
Figure 9.
Microscopic imaging – HE-stained slides: (a) tumoral proliferation with hemorrhage, ob. 40x; (b) tumoral proliferation with hemorrhage and cyst formation, ob. 40x.
Figure 9.
Microscopic imaging – HE-stained slides: (a) tumoral proliferation with hemorrhage, ob. 40x; (b) tumoral proliferation with hemorrhage and cyst formation, ob. 40x.
Figure 10.
Microscopic imaging – immunohistochemical profile: (a) strong positive reaction for CK8/18 with internal positive control of the nasal mucosa, ob. 20x; (b) negative reaction for CK7 with internal positive control of the nasal mucosa, ob. 20x.
Figure 10.
Microscopic imaging – immunohistochemical profile: (a) strong positive reaction for CK8/18 with internal positive control of the nasal mucosa, ob. 20x; (b) negative reaction for CK7 with internal positive control of the nasal mucosa, ob. 20x.
Figure 11.
Microscopic imaging – immunohistochemical profile: (a) negative reaction for CK20, ob. 40x; (b) negative reaction for CK5 with internal positive control of the nasal mucosa, ob. 20x.
Figure 11.
Microscopic imaging – immunohistochemical profile: (a) negative reaction for CK20, ob. 40x; (b) negative reaction for CK5 with internal positive control of the nasal mucosa, ob. 20x.
Figure 12.
Microscopic imaging – immunohistochemical profile: (a) positive reaction for CD10, ob. 40x; (b) positive reaction for EMA, ob. 40x.
Figure 12.
Microscopic imaging – immunohistochemical profile: (a) positive reaction for CD10, ob. 40x; (b) positive reaction for EMA, ob. 40x.
Figure 13.
Microscopic imaging – immunohistochemical profile: (a) positive reaction for vimentin, ob. 40x; (b) positive reaction for RCC, ob. 40x.
Figure 13.
Microscopic imaging – immunohistochemical profile: (a) positive reaction for vimentin, ob. 40x; (b) positive reaction for RCC, ob. 40x.
Figure 14.
Computed Tomography imaging - tissue mass at the level of the right masticatory space (arrow).
Figure 14.
Computed Tomography imaging - tissue mass at the level of the right masticatory space (arrow).
Figure 15.
Computed Tomography imaging – heterogenous lesion with necrotic areas (arrow).
Figure 15.
Computed Tomography imaging – heterogenous lesion with necrotic areas (arrow).
Figure 16.
Computed Tomography imaging - lyses of the right mandibular condyle (arrows): (a) axial imaging; (b) Three-dimensional reconstruction.
Figure 16.
Computed Tomography imaging - lyses of the right mandibular condyle (arrows): (a) axial imaging; (b) Three-dimensional reconstruction.
Figure 17.
Microscopic imaging – HE-staining: (a) tumor circumscribed by a pseudocapsule of fibrous connective tissue, ob. 5x; (b) tumoral cells with trabecular pattern and sinusoidal-like spaces, ob. 40x.
Figure 17.
Microscopic imaging – HE-staining: (a) tumor circumscribed by a pseudocapsule of fibrous connective tissue, ob. 5x; (b) tumoral cells with trabecular pattern and sinusoidal-like spaces, ob. 40x.
Figure 18.
Microscopic imaging – immunohistochemical profile: (a) strong positive reaction for CK8/18, ob. 40x; (b) negative reaction for CK7, ob. 40x.
Figure 18.
Microscopic imaging – immunohistochemical profile: (a) strong positive reaction for CK8/18, ob. 40x; (b) negative reaction for CK7, ob. 40x.
Figure 19.
Microscopic imaging – immunohistochemical profile: (a) negative reaction for CK20, ob. 40x; (b) negative reaction for CK5, ob. 40x.
Figure 19.
Microscopic imaging – immunohistochemical profile: (a) negative reaction for CK20, ob. 40x; (b) negative reaction for CK5, ob. 40x.
Figure 20.
Microscopic imaging – immunohistochemical profile: (a) strong positive reaction for HepPar-1, ob. 40x; (b) moderate positive reaction for AFP, ob. 40x.
Figure 20.
Microscopic imaging – immunohistochemical profile: (a) strong positive reaction for HepPar-1, ob. 40x; (b) moderate positive reaction for AFP, ob. 40x.
Figure 21.
Microscopic imaging – immunohistochemical profile: (a) positive reaction for CD10, canalicular pattern, ob. 40x; (b) negative reaction for CEA, ob. 40x.
Figure 21.
Microscopic imaging – immunohistochemical profile: (a) positive reaction for CD10, canalicular pattern, ob. 40x; (b) negative reaction for CEA, ob. 40x.
Table 1.
Data related to the antibodies used for immunohistochemical reactions.
Table 1.
Data related to the antibodies used for immunohistochemical reactions.
ANTIBODY |
SUBSTRATE |
CLONE |
DILUTION |
CK AE1/AE3 1
|
Mouse, Monoclonal |
AE1/AE3 |
1:100 |
EMA 2
|
Mouse, Monoclonal |
GP1.4 |
1:300 |
CK8/18 3
|
Mouse, Monoclonal |
5D3 |
1:100 |
CK5 4
|
Mouse, Monoclonal |
XM26 |
1:100 |
CK7 5 CK20 6 CEA 7 CD10 9
|
Mouse, Monoclonal Mouse, Monoclonal Mouse, Monoclonal Mouse, Monoclonal |
307M-94 L26 II-7 56C6 |
1:100 1:150 RTU 8 RTU |
AFP 10 HepPar-1 11 S100 protein |
Mouse, Monoclonal Mouse, Monoclonal Rabbit, Polyclonal |
C3 OCH1ES EP32 |
1:100 RTU 1:100 |
HMB45 12
|
Mouse, Monoclonal |
HMB45 |
1:60 |
Melan-A |
Mouse, Monoclonal |
A103 |
1:50 |
CD34 13 CD31 14
|
Mouse, Monoclonal Mouse, Monoclonal |
QBEnd/10 1A10 |
RTU 1:75 |
SMA 15
|
Mouse, Monoclonal |
asn-1 |
1:50 |
Desmin |
Mouse, Monoclonal |
DE-R-11 |
1:75 |
Vimentin |
Mouse, Monoclonal |
V9 |
1:800 |
Ki67 index HHV8 16 RCC 17
|
Mouse, Monoclonal Mouse, Monoclonal Mouse, Monoclonal |
MM1 13B10 66.4.C2 |
1:200 RTU RTU |