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Skeletal muscle regeneration mimicking rhabdomyosarcoma: a potential diagnostic pitfall
Author(s) -
Guillou L,
Coquet M,
Chaubert P,
Coindre J M
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
histopathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.626
H-Index - 124
eISSN - 1365-2559
pISSN - 0309-0167
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2559.1998.00457.x
Subject(s) - myogenesis , pathology , rhabdomyosarcoma , regeneration (biology) , anatomy , skeletal muscle , biology , multinucleate , alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma , population , biopsy , sarcoma , medicine , microbiology and biotechnology , environmental health
Aims We report three cases of skeletal muscle regeneration, of which two mimicked a small round cell tumour, especially a rhabdomyosarcoma. Methods and results One case presented as an intramuscular mass, located in the right quadriceps of a 12‐year‐old male; the second patient was a 25‐year‐old football player who complained of painful left peroneus muscles; the third patient was a 22‐year‐old male who underwent an amputation of the right thigh 5 days after right leg amputation due to limb crush. Histologically, muscle biopsy specimens showed a proliferation of small round cells, either infiltrating the striated muscle in a diffuse manner or growing within and around necrotic myofibres. Immunohistochemically and ultrastructurally, the cellular population was composed of two types of cells: phagocytic cells the nuclei of which occasionally showed a wreathlike arrangement around necrotic myofibres resulting in structures resembling Langhans‐type multinucleated giant cells, and proliferating satellite cells showing enlarged nuclei, prominent nucleoli, mitotic figures, myogenic differentiation and fusion features in order to form regenerating myotubes. Conclusions Muscle regeneration is a benign process that may occasionally mimic a small round cell proliferation resembling a lymphoma or an alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma with which it should not be confused.