Multiple giant angiomyolipomas with a polygonal epithelioid cell component in tuberous sclerosis: an autopsy case...

A recent case of angiomyolipoma (AML) with a prominent component of polygonal epithelioid cells is described. A 27-year-old Japanese male with tuberous sclerosis presented with massive abdominal tumors increasing progressively in size. The patient died of respiratory disturbance and the autopsy revealed massive tumors in the bilateral kidneys, liver and lymph nodes, subependymal giant cell glioma of the brain and lymphangiomyomatosis of the lungs. The giant tumors were an unusual type of AML with a component of polygonal epithelioid cells, which showed a hepatocellular carcinoma-like pattern in some areas. Smooth muscle components comprising spindle cells, short or plump spindle cells and polygonal epithelioid cells frequently exhibited positive staining for HMB-45 but negative staining for epithelial cell markers. The unusual AML presented in this case was thought to be of low-grade malignancy and slow growing. It has been suggested that angiomyolipomas with diffuse areas of epithelioid cell component are potentially malignant. Immunostainings positive for HMB-45 but negative for epithelial cell markers are considered to be useful in differentiating AML with polygonal epithelioid cell component from other tumors, especially from renal cell carcinoma and hepatocellular carcinoma.