Malignant myxoid emboli as the presenting feature of primary sarcoma of the aorta (myxoid malignant fibrous histiocytoma): a case report and review of the literature

Abstract

Primary sarcomas of the aorta are rare vascular tumors. About 26 cases have been reported between 1973 and 1989. They are seldom diagnosed antemortem. The present report describes a patient with a myxoid malignant fibrous histiocytoma arising in the intima of the lower thoracic aorta, which was diagnosed premortem in metastatic peripheral emboli. The clinical and pathologic features of this patient along with a summary of the 29 primary aortic tumors previously reported (26 malignant and 3 benign) are discussed. Although few of these tumors have been described histologically as benign, all of them behave as malignant tumors.