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Cutaneous granular cell angiosarcoma
M G Hitchcock1, M A Hurt, D J Santa Cruz
1Pathology Department, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710.
Journal of Cutaneous Pathology
|June 1, 1994
Summary
This study describes a rare granular cell variant of cutaneous angiosarcoma. Diagnosis requires identifying vascular patterns and using specific endothelial markers like Factor VIII-related antigen and Ulex europaeus agglutinin-1.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Dermatopathology
- Immunohistochemistry
Background:
- Cutaneous angiosarcomas typically present with irregular vascular channels.
- Neoplastic cells usually have small cytoplasm and hyperchromatic nuclei.
- Standard diagnostic criteria can be challenging in variants.
Observation:
- A rare angiosarcoma variant with abundant granular cytoplasm was encountered.
- This variant exhibited typical anastomosing vascular patterns in some areas.
- Immunohistochemical staining showed variable results for endothelial markers.
Findings:
- The granular cell angiosarcoma variant stained positive for Factor VIII-related antigen and Ulex europaeus agglutinin-1.
- CD31 and CD34, typically positive, were negative in this case.
- Lysosomal marker CD68 stained the granular cytoplasm in both studied cases.
Implications:
- Recognizing the anastomosing vascular channels is crucial for diagnosing this rare variant.
- A combination of lectin (UEA1) and immunohistochemical markers (FVIIIRAg, CD34, CD31) aids diagnosis.
- This highlights the importance of comprehensive marker panels in challenging dermatopathology cases.