Leiomyosarcoma with Osteoclast-Like Giant Cells of the Spermatic Cord

Abstract

We describe a case of leiomyosarcoma with osteoclast-like giant cells arising form the spermatic cord and involving the testis. This is a rare tumor which is histologically similar to the giant cell variant of malignant fibrous histiocytoma. No such cases have been reported arising from the external genitalia. The patient was initially treated with local excision. He had a local recurrence 7 years later which was treated with radical excision and adjuvant radiation. The indolent nature of the tumor, with a long survival of 7 years after initial diagnosis followed subsequently by a more aggressive clinical course, is emphasized.

Osteoclast-like cells in soft tissue leiomyosarcomas

“…One unusual variant of leiomyosarcoma contains numerous multinucleated giant cells (MNGCs); this giant cell-rich leiomyosarcoma has been reported in a variety of locations including the uterus, adrenal gland, bowel, spermatic cord, heart, and soft tissues of the extremities [3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]. Unlike tumor giant cells, which are often found in poorly differentiated leiomyosarcomas, the MNGCs in giant cell-rich leiomyosarcomas do not express smooth muscle markers and are thought to represent an unusual host response to the tumor.…”