Study of malignant fibrous histiocytoma: clinical, statistic and histopatological interrelation

Malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) is a malignant tumor of soft parts observed at approximately 70% of cases situated at the level of the outsides.

Our study is formed of 14 cases of patients in a period of three years (2007-2010), diagnosed anatomo-pathological with malignant fibrous histiocytoma at the County Hospital of Oradea. The histopathological examination together with the immunohistochemical one is of vital importance in the establishment of the positive diagnostic and furthermore in the establishment of the differential diagnostic with carcinomas, plasmacytomas, osteosarcomas, fibrosarcomas and lymphosarcomas, fact that arouse the doctors to administrate the correct treatment to a specific patient.

MFH is a tumor of late adulthood that occurs in men more commonly than women. Computer tomography and MRI have been widely used in the diagnosis and staging of MFH. MFH is secondary to another process such as radiation, surgery, fracture, osteonecrosis, Paget's disease, non-ossifying fibroma or fibrous dysplasia 20% of the time. MFH arising from a previous abnormality is usually more aggressive and has a poorer prognosis than primary MFH. Primary osseous MFH is a central lesion found in the diaphysis or metaphysis of the bone that causes aggressive bone destruction and a soft tissue mass. The most common sites in order are the distal femur, proximal tibia, proximal femur and proximal humerus. Primary osseous MFH is less common. MFH is found in the extremities 70-75% of the time and 50% of all cases are in the lower extremity. Other less common sites include the retroperitoneum, and the head and neck. In our study, of 14 patients with malignant fibrous histiocytoma, the highest incidence is during the sixth decade of life and there is a male to female ratio of 8 to 6. In the specialty literature, malignant fibrous histiocytoma tend to occur in children and teenagers but can also occur in older adults as secondary lesions in bone infarcts and radiation fields. This tumor is clinically similar to osteosarcoma and fibrosarcoma, although malignant fibrous histiocytomas have been classified as different from the osteosarcoma group because of a different histology (no tumor bone production). Treatment is similar to that of osteosarcoma.

During our study, the average age was of 61 years in comparison with the specialty literature where the average age was of 50 years. The same as in the specialty literature the cases of fibrous malignant histiocytoma studied are more frequently present at men. Regarding the situation, our study shows the affectation of the long bones especially the femur followed by the radius. The histopathological examination together with the immunohistochemical one is of vital importance in the establishment of the positive diagnostic and furthermore in the establishment of the differential diagnostic with carcinomas, plasmacytomas and lymphosarcomas.