Intralesional fibrous septum in chordoma: a clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical study of 122 lesions.

Abstract

Intralesional fibrous septum (IFS) generally is considered a reactive tissue in chordoma; however, little is known about its significance. We studied 122 chordomas for IFS using immunohistochemical techniques and compared IFS and lobular growth patterns (LGPs) formed by IFS with clinicopathologic parameters. Seventy-nine tumors (64.8%) revealed IFS. However, IFS frequently was infiltrated and interrupted by tumor cells with increased expression of proteases; only 33 (42%) of 79 tumors had LGP. In non-skull base chordomas, IFS and LGP were associated with nuclear pleomorphism, a previously described prognostic indicator, mitosis, and the MIB-1 labeling index, indicating a role of IFS and LGP in tumor growth or progression. Paradoxically, patients without LGP tended to have a worse prognosis than those with LGP. We believe that IFS exerts diverse influences on chordoma; however, invasion of IFS leading to loss of the LGP indicates advanced stages of tumor development, possibly predicting an unfavorable prognosis in chordoma.

• Authors: Takahiko Naka, Carsten Boltze, Doerthe Kuester, Amir Samii, Christian Herold, Helmut Ostertag, Yukihide Iwamoto, Yoshinao Oda, Masazumi Tsuneyoshi, Albert Roessner
• Journal: American journal of clinical pathology (Am J Clin Pathol) Vol. 124 Issue 2 Pg. 288-94 (Aug 2005) ISSN: 0002-9173 [Print] England
• PMID: 16040302 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Ki-67 Antigen
• Peptide Hydrolases

Topics

• Bone Neoplasms (metabolism, mortality, pathology)
• Chordoma (metabolism, mortality, pathology)
• Female
• Fibrosis (pathology)
• Humans
• Immunohistochemistry
• Ki-67 Antigen (metabolism)
• Male
• Peptide Hydrolases (metabolism)
• Prognosis