Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors of the head and neck: evaluation of clinicopathologic and prognostic features

  • Review Article
  • Published:
European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Head and neck lesions composed of spindle cells evoke a differential diagnosis which includes a host of benign and malignant entities. One of the less common spindle cell lesions in this region is the inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT). Although IMTs were originally regarded as “pseudotumors”, they are now recognized to be true neoplasms. Local recurrence, and, rarely, malignant change have been reported. Currently, the definitive means of diagnosing IMTs is the identification of a rearrangement of the anaplastic lymphoma kinase gene (at chromosome 2p23) by fluorescence in situ hybridization. The histopathologic differential diagnosis includes infectious processes, other fibro-inflammatory lesions, lymphoma, the inflammatory variant of malignant fibrous histiocytoma, and sarcomatoid (spindle cell) carcinoma. Complete surgical excision is the treatment of choice.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Ong HS, Ji T, Zhang CP, Li J, Wang LZ, Li RR et al (2012) Head and neck inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT): evaluation of clinicopathologic and prognostic features. Oral Oncol 48:141–148

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Coffin CM, Fletcher JA (2002) Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumour. In: Fletcher CDM, Unni KK, Mertens F (eds) World Health Organization classification of tumours. Pathology and genetics: tumours of soft tissue and bone. IARC Press, Lyon, France, pp 91–93

  3. Wenig BM, Devaney K, Bisceglia M (1995) Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor of the larynx. A clinicopathologic study of eight cases simulating a malignant spindle cell neoplasm. Cancer 76:2217–2229

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Browne M, Abramson LP, Chou PM, Acton R, Holinger LD, Reynolds M (2004) Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (inflammatory pseudotumor) of the neck infiltrating the trachea. J Pediatr Surg 39:e1–e4

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Gale N, Zidar N, Podboj J, Volavsek M, Luzar B (2003) Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumour of paranasal sinuses with fatal outcome: reactive lesion or tumour? J Clin Pathol 56:715–717

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Gasparotti R, Zanetti D, Bolzoni A, Gamba P, Morassi ML, Ungari M (2003) Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor of the temporal bone. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 24:2092–2096

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Vellin J-F, Canata CM, Kemeny J-L, Llompart X, Russier M, Mom T et al (2005) Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor of the larynx. Fr ORL 87:75–77

    Google Scholar 

  8. Lo B, Fong CY, Chow HL, Chu WP, Mak WS, Ma KF (2010) Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumour of the neck. J Hong Kong Radiol 13:213–216

    Google Scholar 

  9. Klein AM, Schoem SR, Altman A, Eisenfeld L (2003) Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor in the neonate: a case report. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 128:145–147

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Ma L, Wang K, Liu WK, Zhang YK (2009) Is radical surgery necessary to head and neck inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) in children? Childs Nerv Syst 25:285–291

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Soysal V, Yigitbasi OG, Kontas O, Kahya HA, Guney E (2001) Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor of the nasal cavity: a case report and review of the literature. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol 61:161–165

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Gangopadhyay K, Mahasin ZZ, Kfoury H, Ashraf Ali M (1997) Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumour of the tonsil. J Laryngol Otol 111:880–882

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Karnak I, Senocak ME, Ciftci AO, Caglar M, Bingol-Kologlu M, Tanyel FC et al (2001) Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor in children: diagnosis and treatment. J Pediatr Surg 36:908–912

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Coffin CM, Humphrey PA, Dehner LP (1998) Extrapulmonary inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor: a clinical and pathological survey. Semin Diagn Pathol 15:85–101

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Mendenhall WM, Lessner AM (2010) Orbital pseudotumor. Am J Clin Oncol 33:304–306

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Newlin HE, Werning JW, Mendenhall WM (2005) Plasma cell granuloma of the maxillary sinus: a case report and literature review. Head Neck 27:722–728

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Park SB, Lee JH, Weon YC (2009) Imaging findings of head and neck inflammatory pseudotumor. AJR Am J Roentgenol 193:1180–1186

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Cheuk W, Chan JK (2010) IgG4-related sclerosing disease: a critical appraisal of an evolving clinicopathologic entity. Adv Anat Pathol 17:303–332

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Völker HU, Scheich M, Zettl A, Hagen R, Müller-Hermelink HK, Gattenlöhner SH (2010) Laryngeal inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors: different clinical appearance and histomorphologic presentation of one entity. Head Neck 32:1573–1578

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Eyden B (2005) The myofibroblast: a study of normal, reactive and neoplastic tissues, with an emphasis on ultrastructure. Part 2-tumours and tumour-like lesions. J Submicros Cytol 37:231–296

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Yamamoto H, Kohashi K, Oda Y, Tamiya S, Takahashi Y, Kinoshita Y et al (2006) Absence of human herpesvirus-8 and Epstein-Barr virus in inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor with anaplastic large cell lymphoma kinase fusion gene. Pathol Int 56:584–590

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Fletcher CD (2002) Distinctive soft tissue tumors of the head and neck. Mod Pathol 15:324–330

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Montgomery EA, Shuster DD, Burkart AL, Esteban JM, Sgrignoli A, Elwood L et al (2006) Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors of the urinary tract: a clinicopathologic study of 46 cases, including a malignant example inflammatory fibrosarcoma and a subset associated with high-grade urothelial carcinoma. Am J Surg Pathol 30:1502–1512

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Völker HU, Scheich M, Höller S, Ströbel P, Hagen R, Müller-Hermelink HK et al (2007) Differential diagnosis of laryngeal spindle cell carcinoma and inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor—report of two cases with similar morphology. Diagn Pathol 2:1

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Qiu X, Montgomery E, Sun B (2008) Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor and low-grade myofibroblastic sarcoma: a comparative study of clinicopathologic features and further observations on the immunohistochemical profile of myofibroblasts. Hum Pathol 39:846–856

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Wan SK, Chan JK, Tang SK (1996) Paucicellular variant of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma. A mimic of Riedel’s thyroiditis. Am J Clin Pathol 105:388–393

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Sukov WR, Cheville JC, Carlson AW, Shearer BM, Piatigorsky EJ, Grogg KL et al (2007) Utility of ALK-1 protein expression and ALK rearrangements in distinguishing inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor from malignant spindle cell lesions of the urinary bladder. Mod Pathol 20:592–603

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Butrynski JE, D'Adamo DR, Hornick JL, Dal Cin P, Antonescu CR, Jhanwar SC et al (2010) Crizotinib in ALK-rearranged inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor. N Engl J Med 363:1727–1733

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology, Allegiance Health, Jackson, MI, USA

    Kenneth O. Devaney & Daniel J. LaFeir

  2. Oral Pathology, School of Dental Sciences and Dental Hospital, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK

    Asterios Triantafyllou & Julia A. Woolgar

  3. Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA

    William M. Mendenhall

  4. ENT Clinic, University of Udine, Piazzale S. Maria della Misericordia, 33100, Udine, Italy

    Alessandra Rinaldo & Alfio Ferlito

Authors
  1. Kenneth O. Devaney
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Daniel J. LaFeir
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Asterios Triantafyllou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. William M. Mendenhall
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Julia A. Woolgar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Alessandra Rinaldo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Alfio Ferlito
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Alfio Ferlito.

Additional information

This paper was written by members and invitees of the International Head and Neck Scientific Group (http://www.IHNSG.com).

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Devaney, K.O., LaFeir, D.J., Triantafyllou, A. et al. Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors of the head and neck: evaluation of clinicopathologic and prognostic features. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 269, 2461–2465 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-012-2026-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-012-2026-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation