Anisometric Cell/Dysplastic Lipomas in a Retinoblastoma Survivor: Report of a Case with Review of the Literature

Abstract

Different authors have recently described a subtype of lipoma characterized by variation of adipocyte size, single cell fat necrosis, and a subset with minimal to mild nuclear atypia, and termed these as anisometric cell/dysplastic lipoma (AC/DL). These lipomas follow a benign course and rarely recur. In 3 examples, AC/DL has occurred in patients with childhood retinoblastoma (RB). We report another such example where multiple AC/DL occurred in the neck and back of a 30-year-old male who had germline RB1 gene deletion and bilateral RB in infancy. On excision, all tumors histologically showed similar morphology of adipocyte anisometry, focal single cell necrosis with surrounding binucleated or multinucleated histiocytes, hyperchromatic and minimally atypical lipocyte nuclei, vacuolated Lockhern change, rare foci of fibromyxoid change, occasional mononuclear cell clusters around capillaries, and loss of RB1 immunostaining. Unequivocal atypical cells, lipoblasts, floret-nucleated or multinucleated giant cells were absent. Molecular analysis of tumor cells showed monoallelic RB1 gene loss without amplification of MDM2 and CDK4 genes. Short-term follow up did not show tumor recurrence. AC/DLs in RB survivors are characterized by multiplicity, unifying histology, and benign course. Their biology appears distinct from ordinary lipomas, spindle cell lipomas, and atypical lipomatous tumors.