Journal of Clinical Pathology 2009;62:289
COMMENTARY
Stromal tumours: which diagnostic approach?
Chairman, European Group for Molecular Pathology, ESP (European Society of Pathology); Director, Division of Surgical, Molecular and Ultrastructural Pathology, University of Pisa
G Bevilacqua, Division of Surgical, Molecular and Ultrastructural Pathology, University of Pisa, Italy; g.bevilacqua@med.unipi.it
Accepted 10 December 2008
| The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below. |
Probably all pathologists agree that proliferations of stromal cells represent a somewhat complex chapter of pathology. In fact, their classification is still tentative, full of synonyms and with confusing terms, such as "inflammatory tumour" or "pseudosarcomatous proliferation".
Several factors can contribute to this complexity: a possible common progenitor (fibrocyte)1 for fibroblasts and myofibroblasts; the fact that the fibrocyte can be considered as belonging to the leucocytes; the possible epithelial origin of mesenchymal cells (epithelial–mesenchymal transition); and the interconnections between physiological and pathological stromal proliferations.2
The absence of a satisfactory classification provided by a rational base and of biological and clinical significance has negative consequences for the correct diagnosis of these diseases. The complex biology of stromal cells well explains the fact that immunohistochemistry gives contradictory results, often adding more confusion to a per se unclear morphological pattern.
Fortunately, molecular pathology is also entering into this field, thanks to our understanding
CiteULike 
Complore 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us 
Digg 
Reddit 
Technorati What's this?
Relevant Article
- Would a morphomolecular approach help in defining pseudosarcomatous myofibroblastic proliferations? A study of a heart polypoid lesion
- S Nemolato, T Dettori, P Caria, D V Frau, G Faa, R Vanni
J. Clin. Pathol. 2009 62: 377-379.[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
- Full Text
- Full Text (PDF)
-
All Versions of this Article:
jcp.2008.063834v1
62/4/289 most recent - Submit a response
- Alert me when this article is cited
- Alert me when eLetters are posted
- Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
- Email this link to a friend
- Similar articles in this journal
- Similar articles in PubMed
- Add article to my folders
- Download to citation manager
- Request Permissions
Citing Articles
Google Scholar
PubMed
Topic Collections
Bookmark with
Register for free content
The full back archive is now available for all BMJ Journals. Institutional subscribers may access the entire archive as part of their subscription. Personal subscribers will also have access to all content when logged in. Non-subscribers who register have free access to all articles published before 2006 right back to volume 1 issue 1. Register here to access the free archive of all BMJ Journals.
Don't forget to sign up for content alerts so you keep up to date with all the articles as they are published.
