• Tien-Chi Hou, Pao-Shu Wu, Wen-Yu Huang, Yi-Ting Yang, Kien Thiam Tan, Shih-Hua Liu, Yu-Jen Chen, Shu-Jen Chen, and Ying-Wen Su.
• Department of Radiation Oncology.
• Medicine (Baltimore). 2020 Mar 1; 99 (12): e19577.

RationaleThe diagnosis of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-negative inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors (IMT) remains challenging because of their morphological resemblance with spindle cell sarcoma with myofibroblastic characteristics.Patient ConcernsA 69-year-old female patient presented with loco-regional recurrent IMT several times within 8 years after primary treatment and neck lymph node metastasis 3.5 years after last recurrence.DiagnosisThe primary, recurrence, and lymph node metastasis lesions were diagnosed as ALK-negative IMTs based on the histopathological features.InterventionsBiopsy samples were obtained during repeated surgeries and evaluated for genomic alterations during first and recurrent presentations. The evaluation was done using pathway-driven massive parallel sequencing, and genomic alterations between primary and recurrent tumors were compared.OutcomesCopy number gains and overexpression of mouse double minute 2 homolog (MDM2) and cyclin dependent kinase 4 (CDK4) were observed in the primary lesion, and additional gene amplification of Discoidin Domain Receptor Tyrosine Kinase 2 (DDR2), Succinate Dehydrogenase Complex II subunit C (SDHC), and thyroid stimulating hormone receptor (TSHR) Q720H were found in the recurrent tumors. Metastases to the neck lymph node were observed 3.5 years after recurrence.LessonsOur results indicated genetic evolution in a microscopically benign condition and highlighted the importance of molecular characterization of fibro-inflammatory lesions of uncertain malignant potential.

34 keywords...

hide…