Intralesional fibrous septum in chordoma: A clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical study of 122 lesions

Takahiko Naka, Carsten Boltze, Doerthe Kuester, Amir Samii, Christian Herold, Helmut Ostertag, Yukihide Iwamoto, Yoshinao Oda, Masazumi Tsuneyoshi, Albert Roessner

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

23 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Intralesional fibrous septum (IFS) generally is considered a reactive tissue in chordoma; however, little is known about its significance. We studied 122 chordomas for IFS using immunohistochemical techniques and compared IFS and lobular growth patterns (LGPs) formed by IFS with clinicopathologic parameters. Seventy-nine tumors (65%) revealed IFS. However, IFS frequently was infiltrated and interrupted by tumor cells with increased expression of proteases; only 33 (42%) of 79 tumors had LGP. In non-skull base chordomas, IFS and LGP were associated with nuclear pleomorphism, a previously described prognostic indicator, mitosis, and the MIB-1 labeling index, indicating a role of IFS and LGP in tumor growth or progression. Paradoxically, patients without LGP tended to have a worse prognosis than those with LGP. We believe that IFS exerts diverse influences on chordoma; however, invasion of IFS leading to loss of the LGP indicates advanced stages of tumor development, possibly predicting an unfavorable prognosis in chordoma.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)288-294
Number of pages7
JournalAmerican Journal of Clinical Pathology
Volume124
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Aug 2005

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Pathology and Forensic Medicine

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