True hemangiopericytoma of the nasal cavity

Abstract

Two cases of nasal tumors with pericytic myoid differentiation are reported. The tumors occurred in a 77-year-old woman and a 60-year-old man as polypoid lesions covered by normal mucosa. Histologically, the tumors were composed of uniform short spindle or stellate cells with indistinct cell borders arranged in narrow and short fascicles. Numerous blood vessels of various sizes were common in both cases. The tumor cells of both cases stained intensely with anti-vimentin and anti-actin antibodies, but not with anti-desmin, CD34, or anti-high-molecular-weight caldesmon antibodies. Ultrastructural examination revealed well-developed actin thin filaments with dense bodies, subplasmalemmal plaques, intercellular junctions, and irregular discontinuous basement membranes. These histopathologic features suggest true pericytic differentiation of the tumors (true hemangiopericytoma), unlike soft tissue-type hemangiopericytoma. Generally, sinonasal hemangiopericytomas are subdivided into soft tissue-type hemangiopericytomas and true hemangiopericytomas identical to the cases presented here. Soft tissue-type hemangiopericytomas are frequently highly aggressive, whereas true hemangiopericytomas show localized benign behavior. Sinonasal true hemangiopericytomas should be strictly differentiated from soft tissue-type hemangiopericytomas.