Alveolar soft part sarcoma:A report of two cases with some histochemical and ultrastructural observations

Abstract

In a survey of all malignant soft tissue tumors in the extremities and limb girdles in Finland between 1960 and 1969, only one alveolar soft part sarcoma was found among 246 tumors (0.4%). Another alveolar soft part sarcoma, diagnosed in 1976, was more thoroughly studied. There was evidence that the characteristic crystals of alveolar soft part sarcoma are formed from the dense granules. Both were PASM-positive at ultrastructural level. No monoamines were detected in the cells by formaldehyde-induced fluorescence. This is a further fact to nullify the theory of the paraganglionic origin of alveolar soft part sarcoma, but the question of the histogenesis of the tumor still remains open.

Primary alveolar soft part sarcoma of bone

“…Usually, it involves the thigh and buttocks of young adults, and it represents only 0.5% to 1% of all soft tissue sarcomas 3 . Only two such tumours were found in a review of 246 soft tissue sarcomas of the extremities 4 . It has also been described in the pulmonary vein, 5 stomach, 6 orbit, 7 uterus 8 and vagina 9 .…”

“…It has also been described in the pulmonary vein, 5 stomach, 6 orbit, 7 uterus 8 and vagina 9 . In rare instances, there is erosion or destruction of underlying bone 4 ,. 10 In 1969, there were two case reports of alveolar soft part sarcoma involving bone 11 ,.…”

Alveolar soft part sarcoma

“…As previously reported, ASPS constitutes less than 1 % of soft tissue sarcomas and has no benign counterpart [1,4,10,11].…”

Case report 796

“…It constitutes less than i % of soft tissue sarcomas, and it has no benign counterpart [5,6]. The first comprehensive description of this tumor originated from Christopherson et al [4], who named it "alveolar soft part sarcoma," referring to the large granular cells dispersed in alveolar-like arrangements separated by vascular channels.…”