An Ultrastructural Study of Extraskeletal Mesenchymal Chondrosarcoma

Abstract

A rare case of extraskeletal mesenchymal chondrosarcoma in a 47‐year‐old woman is reported. The tumor was located in the soft tissue of left upper arm without any involvement of the humerus. The outer portion of the tumor was histologically composed of primitive mesenchymal cells, and the inner portion showed zones of cartilaginous differentiation. Ultrastructurally, the tumor cells in the primitive areas had a relatively small number of mitochondria, rough endoplasmic reticulum, and free polysomes, and the matrix of the tumor consisted of dense bundles of collagen fibrils. The cartilaginous cells seen in the central portion of tumor were embedded in the matrix of abundant collagen fibrils and matrix granules. They had polysomes, well‐developed Golgi complexes, and ample rough endoplasmic reticulum frequently with dilatation. Clear zones adjacent to the cells were seen in the extracellular matrix. With a review of the literature, the histogenesis of this particular tumor is discussed. ACTA PATHOL. JPN. 34: 1355–1363, 1984.

Cell Differentiation and Matrix Gene Expression in Mesenchymal Chondrosarcomas

“…Although the extracellular tumor matrix is partly very sparse in some small-cell tumor areas, almost lacking collagen fibrils, 32 it is rather abundant in most parts of the small-cell tumor compartment. 9,12,33 The extracellular tumor matrix is clearly cartilaginous in areas of chondroid differentiation 14,32,33 and contains glycosaminoglycan-rich proteoglycans, 12,[41][42][43] which were identified at least in part as aggrecan in our study. The fine filamentous pericellular material 12,14 observed in these areas is most likely the ultrastructural correlate to COL6, which is known to form fine filamentous networks around chondrocytic cells.…”

“…30,31 The formed cartilage shows histochemically and immunohistochemically all features of fetal hyaline cartilage, thus, confirming previous morphological and ultrastructural studies. 14,32,33 Also, type VI collagen is concentrated pericellularly in these areas, which is characteristic for cartilage and most likely involved into the formation of the cartilage-typical cell lacunae found in the cartilaginous tumor areas. 34,35 Significant portions of the neoplastic chondrocytes in mesenchymal chondrosarcomas become hypertrophic as indicated by the increased cell size and demonstrated by the expression of COL10.…”

Mesenchymal Chondrosarcoma of the Orbit: A Report of Two Cases and Review of the Literature

“…They have polysomes, well-developed Golgi complexes and ample rough endoplasmic reticulum. Clear zones adjacent to the cells are seen in the extracellular matrix (Sato et al, 1984).…”

Management of renal extraskeletal mesenchymal chondrosarcoma

“…Extraskeletal chondrosarcomas are rare neoplasms, far less common in comparison with the osseous ones [ 21 ] and pathologists separate these cases into two different subtypes: myxoid and mesenchymal. In contrast with the myxoid subtypes, the mesenchymal chondrosarcomas are diagnosed even in fewer cases and are very aggressive [ 22 ], with respective 5- and 10-year survival rates of 54.6% and 23.7% [ 6 ]. As previously stated, literature search limited to the English, French and German language unearthed very few cases of MC, especially for the ones located in the kidney.…”