SARCOMATOUS VARIANT OF MALIGNANT HISTIOCYTOSIS; A CASE REPORT and REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

Abstract

A 21 yr old female presented with mediastinal and subcutaneous tumors composed of sarcomatous growth of poorly differentiated histiocytes defined by enzyme histochemical staining, ultrastructural observation and detection of surface markers. At autopsy neoplastic cells in the solid tumor became less cohesive and pleomorphic with erythrophagia, while features in the lymph node draining from the tumor were compatible with the criteria of malignant histiocytosis. The classification of such a sarcomatous variant of malignant histiocytosis is discussed and the literature reviewed.