Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor: a spinal case with aggressive clinical course and ALK overexpression. Case report

J Neurosurg. 2003 Mar;98(2 Suppl):218-21. doi: 10.3171/spi.2003.98.2.0218.

Abstract

The authors report on a case of spinal inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) in a 22-year-oldwoman. Neuroradiological features of this intradural extramedullary mass were suggestive of a meningioma or neurinoma. The lesion was easily resected following a T-9 laminectomy. Light microscopy showed a proliferation of spindle cells with prominent nucleoli on a fibrous or edematous background with infiltration of numerous lymphocytes and plasma cells. Some spindle cells immunostained positively for ALK1. This led to the diagnosis of IMT. The patient's postoperative course was complicated by a multifocal local recurrence requiring a second surgery, which was followed by radio- and chemotherapy. The occurrence of IMT in the spinal cord has rarely been reported. In this case, ALK overexpression was associated with early multifocal recurrence. This has been recently reported in this tumor typein other locations.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase
  • Female
  • Fibroblasts / pathology*
  • Humans
  • Inflammation / diagnosis
  • Inflammation / pathology
  • Inflammation / physiopathology
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Muscle, Smooth / pathology*
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / metabolism*
  • Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases
  • Spinal Cord Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Spinal Cord Neoplasms / enzymology*
  • Spinal Cord Neoplasms / pathology
  • Spinal Cord Neoplasms / physiopathology

Substances

  • ALK protein, human
  • Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases
  • Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases