Myxofibrosarcoma of the heart: A case report with positive pleural effusion cytology

Diagn Cytopathol. 2016 Dec;44(12):1112-1116. doi: 10.1002/dc.23564. Epub 2016 Aug 22.

Abstract

Primary cardiac sarcoma is rare, and there have been only a few reports on its cytologic findings. Myxofibrosarcoma, a variant of fibrosarcoma of the heart, is an extremely rare entity. We present a case of primary cardiac myxofibrosarcoma in a 63-year-old woman. Pleural fluid cytology and imprint cytology of the resected tumor at operation and autopsy were obtained. Cytologic evaluation with immunocytochemical staining utilizing a cell transfer technique revealed that tumor cells of the resected tumor and autopsy specimen and pleural effusion demonstrated large and pleomorphic cells with irregular, hyperchromatic nuclei and were positive for vimentin. Combination of morphology and immunoprofile of the cells of pleural effusion was compatible with the diagnosis of metastatic myxofibrosarcoma. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2016;44:1112-1116. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Keywords: cardiac sarcoma; immunocytochemistry; imprint cytology; myxofibrosarcoma; pleural effusion cytology.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Female
  • Fibrosarcoma / pathology*
  • Heart Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Myxoma / pathology*
  • Pleural Effusion, Malignant / pathology*