Angiofibromas of soft tissue are benign fibroblastic soft tissue neoplasms permeated by a vascular network that might be found in the periarticular and articular areas of the lower extremities that have been included as a separate entity in the WHO classification of soft tissue tumors in 2020.
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Epidemiology
Angiofibromas of soft tissue tumors are mostly found in the middle-aged population with a peak incidence in the sixth decade and a slight female predominance. They can generally affect patients of all ages 1.
Diagnosis
The diagnosis of angiofibroma of soft tissue is based on typical histological features and molecular pathology.
Diagnostic criteria
Diagnostic criteria according to the WHO classification of tumors: soft tissue and bone (5th edition) 1:
- uniform bland spindle cells in a variably myxoid or collagenous stroma
- prominent vascular network with abundant thin-walled branching vessels
The following criterion is desirable:
- NCOA2 gene rearrangements
Clinical presentation
The typical clinical presentation is a slow-growing soft tissue mass 1.
Pathology
Angiofibromas of soft tissue are characterized by uniform spindle cells in a fibromyxoid matrix permeated by innumerable small thin-walled blood vessels 1.
Etiology
The etiology of angiofibroma of soft tissue is unknown 1.
Location
Soft tissue angiofibromas are usually found in the extremities in particular the lower extremity with a periarticular articular involvement, a subcutaneous or less often intramuscular or deep location. Unusual sites of origin are the back, abdominal wall, pelvis and breast 1-4.
Macroscopic appearance
Macroscopically angiofibromas of soft tissue are usually solid nodular or multinodular well-delineated tumors with a shimmering cut surface and a white to yellowish color 1,4.
Microscopic appearance
Histologically angiofibromas of soft tissue include the following microscopic features 1-4:
- uniform bland spindle cells with regional variations in cellularity
- variable myxoid to collagenous extracellular matrix
- prominent vascular network
- variable inflammatory infiltrates
- no cytological atypia or nuclear hyperchromasia
Immunophenotype
Immunohistochemistry stains are variably positive for CD34, epithelial membrane antigen (EMA) and desmin 1,3,4.
Genetics
Angiofibromas of soft tissue are associated with NCOA2 gene rearrangements 1-4.
Radiographic features
MRI
Dedicated descriptions of imaging appearances of angiofibroma of soft tissue are still scarce in the literature. A few reports have described it as a well-circumscribed mass. Signal characteristics and enhancement are presumed to be variable subject to the cellular, myxoid, collageneous and vascular content of the lesion 3,4.
Signal characteristics
- T1: roughly isointense to skeletal muscle
- T2: heterogeneous high signal intensity
- T1C+(Gd): variable from homogeneous to a peripheral enhancement
Radiology report
The radiological report should include a description of the following:
- form, location and size
- tumor margins and transition zone
- relation to adjacent joints
- relation to adjacent neurovascular structures
Treatment and prognosis
Angiofibromas of soft tissue are benign lesions with a benign clinical course. They have rare local recurrences after excision and there is no known risk for metastases 1,3.
History and etymology
Angiofibroma of soft tissue is a fairly newly described tumor entity by the American pathologist Adrián Mariño-Enríquez and the British pathologist Christopher DM Fletcher in 2012 3-5.
Differential diagnosis
Tumors or conditions which can mimic the presentation and/or appearance of angiofibroma of soft tissue include 3,4: