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A Low-grade Sinonasal Sarcoma Harboring EWSR1::BEND2: Expanding the Differential Diagnosis of Sinonasal Spindle Cell Neoplasms

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Abstract

Background

Molecular diagnostics has greatly refined sinonasal tumor pathology over the past decade. While much of the attention has focused on carcinomas, it is becoming clear that there are emerging mesenchymal neoplasms which have previously defied classification.

Methods

Here, we present a 33-year-old woman with a multiply recurrent sinonasal spindle cell tumor exhibiting distinctive features, and not easily classifiable into a specific category.

Results

The hypercellular tumor was composed of plump spindled cells, with uniform vesicular chromatin arranged as vague fascicles around a prominent hemangiopericytoma-like vasculature. The mitotic rate was brisk at 10 per 10 high power fields. By immunohistochemistry, it was only positive for EMA (focal) and SATB2 (diffuse, weak). Fusion analysis uncovered EWSR1::BEND2, a fusion which is best known for being seen in astroblastoma, but which has not yet been reported in sarcomas.

Conclusion

This case underscores the utility of fusion analysis when confronted with a sinonasal spindle cell neoplasm which does not neatly fit into any specific category. It remains to be seen if EWSR1::BEND2 sinonasal sarcoma represents a distinct entity.

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Data Availability

All data generated or analyzed during this study are included in this published article.

Code Availability

Not applicable.

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Funding

This study was funded by the Jane B. and Edwin P. Jenevein M.D Endowment for Pathology at UT Southwestern Medical Center. No external funding was obtained for this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Contributions

VM and JAB designed the study, performed data collection and interpretation, and prepared the manuscript. JYP performed data collection and interpretation. All authors read and approved the final paper.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Justin A. Bishop.

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All authors certify that they have no affiliations with or involvement in any organization or entity with any financial interest or non-financial interest in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript.

Ethical Approval

All procedures performed in this retrospective data analysis involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional review board (UT Southwestern IRB 112017-073).

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The IRB-approved study did not require informed consent.

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Palsgrove, D.N., Manucha, V., Park, J.Y. et al. A Low-grade Sinonasal Sarcoma Harboring EWSR1::BEND2: Expanding the Differential Diagnosis of Sinonasal Spindle Cell Neoplasms. Head and Neck Pathol 17, 571–575 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12105-023-01527-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12105-023-01527-z

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