Primary meningeal malignant fibrous histiocytoma with cerebrospinal dissemination and pulmonary metastasis

Primary intracranial malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) is very rare, and not much is known about its clinical features. The authors report a case of left temporal leptomeningeal MFH, with consequent cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) dissemination and pulmonary metastasis. The clinical features of this case and the therapeutic prognosis of 17 cases reported previously in the literature were reviewed.     

Plasma volume expansion with oral fluids in hypohydrated men at rest and during exercise

A case of malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) in a 29-year-old man was reported. CT scans revealed an iso density mass which was homogeneously enhanced by contrast medium. MRI demonstrated that the right frontal tumor showed slight low signal intensity in T1-weighted image, and iso signal intensity in T2-weighted image. Gadolinium-enhanced T1-weighted image showed a homogeneously enhanced multinodular tumor. Right carotid angiogram revealed a tumor stain fed by the precentral artery. On operation, en-bloc resection was performed successfully. Postoperatively, local irradiation of 60Gy was performed. Microscopically, fibroblast-like cells arranged in storiform pattern were observed, and bizarre multinucleated giant cells were also observed. Ki-67 labelling index was 54%. We considered the tumor was a MFH and arose from an intracerebral mesenchymal tissue. We reviewed some literature and briefly discussed clinicopathological features and therapy of intracranial MFH.     

Adverse reactions associated with autologous blood transfusion: evaluation and incidence at a large academic hospital

Malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) in the stomach is very rare, and only four cases have been reported. As a result, there is still little understanding of its clinical and pathological features. We recently experienced two cases of gastric MFH. The first case was a 78-year-old man with epigastralgia and a loss of body weight. Endoscopy revealed an ulcerated submucosal tumor. A gastrectomy was performed and the diagnosis of MFH was made histopathologically. The second case was a 77-year-old man with pulmonary symptoms. An image diagnosis indicated a strong suspicion of lung cancer, and a right middle and lower lobectomy was thus performed. One month after the operation, a bleeding gastric tumor was found and therefore a gastrectomy was performed. Both tumors were diagnosed as MFH. From the analysis of six reported cases including ours, a preoperative correct diagnosis is found to be difficult although the lesion has grown to a considerable size at the time of operation. Since a metastatic lung lesion was first detected in two out of six cases, it is thus recommended that the stomach should be examined when lung MFH is found. Considering the high mortality and the short survival in the six cases, the prognosis for gastric MFH seems to be poorer than that in the extremities. However, lymph node metastasis is uncommon, and a curative resection is possible in some cases such as in our second case.     

Malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the mesentery--a rare cause of abdominal pain. Case report with a review of literature

Malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) is a tumor most frequently occurring in lower and upper extremities and in retroperitoneum. This paper presents the extremely rare case of a 55-year-old male patient with a MFH of storiform pleomorphic subtype originating from the mesentery. Sonography, computed tomography as well as endoscopy and ERCP did not reveal the diagnosis. Finally the tumor was diagnosed by laparoscopy with biopsy and histological examination. Two months after diagnosis of the tumor the patient died of bronchopneumony and heart failure contracted during a generalisation of MFH.     

Aneuploidy in atypical fibroxanthoma: DNA content quantification of 10 cases by image analysis

It has recently been reported that atypical fibroxanthoma (AFX) is a predominantly diploid lesion in contrast to malignant fibrous hystiocytoma (MFH) which is usually aneuploid. To test this hypothesis, DNA content quantification was undertaken on Feulgen-stained cytology and tissue section preparations from 10 cases of AFX by image analysis. The large atypical cells which characterize AFX were aneuploid in each case. Smaller spindle-shaped cells found in this lesion were diploid. The results suggest that AFX is indistinguishable from MFH by DNA content estimation and highlight an advantage of image analysis over flow cytometry.     

Value of imaging in the assessment of malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the soft tissues

Malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) is a rare and potentially highly malignant sarcoma. The authors report 6 cases of MFH in various sites: two in the chest wall, one in the pelvis, two in the gluteal zones and one on the scalp. Ultrasonography and computed tomography were the main imaging methods used in the assessment of the structure and extension of the tumor. A poor prognosis was noted in four cases: death within a few months in the two thoracic sites, recurrence in the pelvic and scalp lesions, radical surgery allowed recovery in two cases. A review of the literature showed that MRI and CT are complementary in the initial staging and follow-up of these patients.     

Malignant histiocytofibroma. Apropos of 3 cases of cervicofacial localization

We report 3 cases of head and neck malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH). The first case is a xanthomatous subtype of the inferior lip with lymph node metastasis. The two others cases are storiform-pleomorphic MFM of the hypopharynx and Killian area. A summary of actual knowledges about this entity is reviewed.     

Primary malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the lung. Report of a case with bronchial brushing cytologic features

BACKGROUND: Malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) arising primarily in the lungs is rare, and a preoperative diagnosis, as well as a surgical planning, is very important because of the tumor's propensity for vascular invasion and its low incidence of lymph node metastasis. The correct preoperative diagnosis of thoracic MFH is not easy to establish because the small fragments from needle and transbronchial biopsies are often inadequate for a conclusive histologic analysis. A preoperative bronchial brushing cytology suggestion of the diagnosis of primary MFH of the lungs may be helpful in such cases. CASE: A 37-year-old male presented with a large, irregular mass in the inferior and middle lobes on chest roentgenography as well as on computed tomography. Two bronchoscopies were performed, with the diagnosis of undifferentiated large cell carcinoma. After surgical resection a more sophisticated pathologic analysis, including immunohistochemical and ultrastructural studies, revealed a primary MFH of the lungs. Revision of the bronchial brushing cytology disclosed many spindle-shaped cells with a "comet" configuration, strongly suggestive of MFH. CONCLUSION: The bronchial brushing cytology features of spindle-shaped and bizarre, multinucleated giant cells with a comet appearance may be the key to the cytomorphologic diagnosis of MFH.     

Predicting upper limb recovery after stroke: the place of early shoulder and hand movement

We describe a rare case of pleomorphic type of malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) in the buttock that presented a systemic involvement. The case was of a 58-year-old woman presenting hepatic dysfunction and inflammatory reactions including fever, positive C-reactive protein (CRP), an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and high levels of platelets and ferritin. The fever of 3 months duration subsided on the first postoperative day. The MFH resection also brought rapid normalization in CRP, platelets, and leukocytes. The local and systemic productions of cytokines induced by this tumor were evaluated. In vivo and in vitro production of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1beta, and tumor necrosis factor alpha by tumor cells were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Blood samples taken preoperatively, tumor tissues, and the primary culture medium showed extraordinarily high IL-6 levels. The plasma IL-6 level was normalized postoperatively. Immunohistochemistry showed the positivity of tumor cells for IL-6. The IL-6 produced by the tumor was concluded to have been responsible for the systemic illness.     

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy in malignant fibrous histiocytoma of bone and in osteosarcoma located in the extremities: analogies and differences between the two tumors

BACKGROUND: Malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) is a rare bone tumor usually treated like osteosarcoma. Studies on analogies and differences between the two tumors have seldom been reported. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between March 1982 and December 1994, 51 patients with high-grade MFH of bone and 390 with high-grade osteosarcoma were treated with the same regimen of neoadjuvant chemotherapy. All of the tumors in both groups were located in the limbs. Preoperative chemotherapy was performed according to three different, successively activated, regimens consisting of MTX/CDP intraarterially, MTX/CDP/ADM, and MTX/CDP/ADM//IFO. RESULTS: The rate of limb salvage was the same in both the MFH (92%) and osteosarcoma (85%) patients. MFH showed a statistically significantly lower rate of good histologic response, 90% or more tumor necrosis (27% vs. 67%, P = 0.00001) for all three regimens. Despite this low chemosensitivity, the disease-free survivals of the two neoplasms were similar (67% vs. 65%). CONCLUSIONS: In terms of histologic response to primary chemotherapy, MFH has a lower chemosensitivity than osteosarcoma. Nevertheless, the two tumors have similar prognoses when treated with chemotherapy regimens based on MTX, CDP, ADM and IFO.     

Effects of alcohol on psychophysiological hyperreactivity to nonaversive and aversive stimuli in men at high risk for alcoholism.

Psychophysiological reactivity to nonaversive (1-KHz, 70-db tones) and aversive stimuli (shock) was examined in nonalcoholic men with multigenerational family histories (MFH) of alcoholism and family history negative (FH–) men, while sober and after consuming alcohol. In comparison with FH– Ss, sober MFH Ss had significantly larger skin conductance (SC) orienting responses (ORs), shorter OR latencies, slower habituation rates to the tones, and larger increases in heart rate and vasoconstriction to the shock. Alcohol dampened the magnitude of the SC-OR to the tones and the degree of cardiovascular reactivity to the shocks and increased the habituation rate to the tones in MFH Ss only. Alcohol consumption also increased the SC-OR recovery time in FH– Ss only. The MFH Ss' pattern of psychophysiological hyperreactivity is discussed in terms of a potential dysfunction in stimulus–response regulation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the gallbladder

We report two extremely rare cases of primary malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) of the gallbladder. The first case occurred in a 70 year old woman who presented with a large tumor of the gallbladder and multiple liver metastases. The second case involved a 74 year old man with a small submucosal tumor of the gallbladder and a single large liver metastasis. Histologically, these tumors consisted of spindle cells in a storiform pattern intermingled with bizarre giant cells. Both of these patients died of liver failure 3 months post-operatively.     

Phenotypic changes in lipopolysaccharide-treated cloned cells derived from transplantable rat malignant fibrous histiocytoma

To investigate a possible phenotypic modulation, MT-8L and MT-9L cells were induced by in vitro culture of undifferentiated MT-8 and fibrohistiocytic MT-9 cells, which had been established from a rat malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH), in the medium containing 10 micrograms lipopolysaccharide (LPS)/ml. MT-8L and MT-9L gave greater positive reactions for histiocytic lysosomal markers and showed ultrastructures of histiocytic natures. In MT-8L, alpha-smooth muscle actin-positive myofibroblastic cells also significantly increased in number. MT-8L expressed both histiocytic and myofibroblastic phenotypes. MT-8L-induced tumors consisted mainly of storiform type MFH, differing from undifferentiated sarcoma type induced by MT-8. MT-9L and MT-9 tumors showed a storiform pattern. A phenotypic modulation of MFH cells was easily induced by LPS treatment.     

Differential sensitivity to alcohol reinforcement in groups of men at risk for distinct alcoholism subtypes

The present study examines the relationship of familial and personality risk factors for alcoholism to individual differences in sensitivity to the positively and negatively reinforcing properties of alcohol. Sixteen sons of male alcoholics with multigenerational family histories of alcoholism (MFH) and 11 men who self-report heightened sensitivity to anxiety (HAS) were compared with 13 age-matched family history negative, low anxiety sensitive men (FH-LAS) on sober and alcohol-intoxicated response patterns. We were interested in the effects of alcohol on specific psychophysiological indices of "stimulus reactivity," anxiety, and incentive reward. Alcohol significantly dampened heart rate reactivity to aversive stimulation for the MFH and HAS men equally, yet did not for the FH-LAS group. HAS men evidenced idiosyncrasies with respect to alcohol-induced changes in electrodermal reactivity to aversive stimulation (an index of anxiety/fear-dampening), and MFH men demonstrated elevated alcohol-intoxicated resting heart rates (an index of psychostimulation) relative to the FH-LAS men. The results are interpreted as reflecting a sensitivity to the "stimulus reactivity-dampening" effects of alcohol in both high-risk groups, yet population-specific sensitivities to the fear-dampening and psychostimulant properties of alcohol in the HAS and MFH groups, respectively.     

Tumor necrosis factor accounts for the neutrophil emigration activity released by cultured malignant fibrous histiocytoma cells

Cultured malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) cells obtained from a spontaneous and transplantable rat tumor were studied for their ability to release tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and a factor which induces neutrophil migration in vivo. MFH cells obtained from 7-day cultures spontaneously released both activities into the supernatant (TNF: 36 +/- 9 IU TNF/ml supernatant, N = 3; neutrophil chemoattractant factor: control, Medium ip: 6 +/- 1 x 10(6); MFH supernatant: 18 +/- 1 x 10(6) neutrophils/cavity, N = 5). These releases were enhanced by treating MFH cells with LPS (TNF: 61%; neutrophil chemoattractant factor: 46%) and were abolished by the glucocorticoid dexamethasone (TNF: 68%; neutrophil chemoattractant factor: 100%). Anti-TNF antiserum abolished the neutrophil chemoattractant activity of the supernatants (95%). The release of TNF or neutrophil chemoattractant activity was reduced in cells obtained from older cultures (14 and 21 days) (TNF: 7-day culture, 36 +/- 9; 14-day culture, 19 +/- 2; 21-day culture, 19 +/- 1 IU of TNF/ml; neutrophil chemoattractant activity: 7-day culture, 18 +/- 1.6; 14-day culture, 13 +/- 3; 28-day culture, 8 +/- 1 x 10(6) neutrophils/cavity). The predominant cells present in 7-day cultures of MFH were histiocyte-like cells as determined by nonspecific esterase methods. The number of these cells decreased as the cultures aged (7-day culture, 71%; 14-day culture, 5%; 21-day culture, 0%). In conclusion, our results show a strong association between the intensity of the neutrophil chemoattractant activity and TNF concentration in the supernatants.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Antitumor effects of liposomes containing adriamycin on chemically-induced rat malignant fibrous histiocytoma

Malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) is the most common soft tissue sarcoma. No effective chemotherapeutic agents, however, have been reported. Here we report our evaluation of the antitumor effects of liposomes containing adriamycin (LADM) against chemically-induced rat MFH. Either free adriamycin (ADM) or LADM was administered at dosages of 4.0, 8.0 or 12.0 mg/kg by intravenous injection. The tumor responded to LADM with prolonged growth delay, but equivalent doses of free ADM were less effective. Additionally, LADM prolonged the life span of rats longer than did free ADM. Also, the body weight loss was less with LADM than with equivalent doses of free ADM. In tissue distribution studies, we observed that the ADM level in the blood and in the tumor with LADM remained higher than with free ADM. These results indicate that liposomes alter in vivo ADM tissue distribution and increase antitumor activity against rat MFH with reduced toxic side effects.     

Comparative susceptibility of Glossina longipennis and G. brevipalpis to pathogenic species of Trypanosoma

A 56-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with the chief complaint of left back pain. We detected left pleural effusion on chest X-ray and performed chest drainage. No malignant cells were detected in the effusion. Chest CT demonstrated a tumor shadow over the left diaphragm and left pleural effusion 6 months later. She underwent en bloc resection of the tumor and left diaphragm. Histological evaluation revealed malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH). Recurrent tumors were found in the abdomen 8 months after the operation, and she underwent resection of the abdominal recurrent tumors. Histological evaluation of the recurrent tumors also showed MFH. The patient died 28 months after the first operation.     

The problematic interpretation of foamy cells in breast fine needle aspirates. A report of two cases

BACKGROUND: Lipid-rich carcinoma and primary malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) of the breast are rare tumors. Cytologically the presence of cells with foamy cytoplasm can cause diagnostic difficulties in both tumors. CASES: Fine needle aspiration was performed on two females with breast masses. The lipid-rich carcinoma showed cells with fine, variably sized vacuoles in the cytoplasm. The MFH smears showed large, histiocytelike cells with foamy cytoplasm, both mononucleated and multinucleated. CONCLUSION: When presented with cytologic smears showing foamy cells, in addition to the nature of the nucleus one must pay attention to the size and character of the cytoplasmic vacuoles to differentiate between sarcoma versus carcinoma.     

Biphasic effects of alcohol on heart rate are influenced by alcoholic family history and rate of alcohol ingestion

The present study investigated cardiac response to acute alcohol challenge along the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) curve in two groups of young adult nonalcoholic men with (MFH) and without (FH-) multigenerational family histories of alcoholism, matched for drinking history. BACs and resting heart rate measurements were recorded every 10 min for 3 hr after ingestion of a 1.0 ml/kg dose of 95% USP alcohol at two different rates: one of 20 min (slow drinking) and the other of 5 min (fast drinking). Several analyses of variance were performed for each of the dependent measures [BAC and heart rate change from baseline (HRCH)]. A significant risk x BAC phase interaction emerged from the HRCH analysis, indicating that the MFH group was characterized by a significantly greater increase in resting heart rate along the ascending limb of the BAC curve. A significant risk x BAC phase x rate interaction indicated that, when alcohol was consumed at a faster rate, men with multigenerational family histories of alcoholism demonstrated a greater HRCH, which persisted throughout the BAC curve.