Metastasizing splenic littoral cell hemangioendothelioma

The fifth edition of the WHO classification of mature T cell, NK cell and stroma-derived neoplasms

The fifth edition of the WHO Classification of Haematolymphoid Tumors (WHO-HAEM5) introduces significant advancements in the understanding and diagnosis of mature T cell and NK cell, and stroma-derived neoplasms, and incorporates molecular and genetic data/findings accrued over the past years. The classification has been reorganised using a hierarchical system, employed across the fifth edition of the WHO classification of tumours of all organ systems. This review highlights recent developments, evolving concepts, and key updates since the revised fourth edition (WHO-HAEM4R). It enumerates the minimal/essential criteria necessary for diagnosis and classification, constituting not only the importance of clonality analysis in the workup of certain T cell neoplasms and the detection of infectious agents and specific genetic alterations in a subset of entities but also the applicability of these criteria in resource-constrained settings. 'Stroma-derived neoplasms of lymphoid tissues discussed in this review is a new category introduced in HAEM5 that encompasses mesenchymal tumours occurring exclusively in lymph nodes and spleen and mesenchymal dendritic cell neoplasms previously classified as 'histiocytic/dendritic cell neoplasms'.

Littoral cell angioma of a huge spleen with peripheral blood pancytopenia in a 14-year-old boy: a case report and review of the literature

Background

Splenic littoral cell angioma (LCA) is an exceptionally uncommon malignant potential vascular tumor with infrequent occurrences in pediatric patients. Due to its reliance on histopathological analysis for diagnosis, LCA may be mistakenly identified as other splenic tumors. Patients with LCA may experience anemia or thrombocytopenia, but peripheral blood pancytopenia is infrequent.

Case report

A 14-year-old boy presented with peripheral blood pancytopenia, necessitating hospitalization after splenomegaly was identified during a physical examination. Following the exclusion of hematological disorders, a splenectomy was conducted; histopathological examination confirmed the diagnoses of LCA. No metastases or recurrences were observed during the 8-month follow-up. To the best of our knowledge, this case represents the first instance of LCA associated with pancytopenia in a pediatric patient.

Conclusion

LCA can lead to iron-deficiency anemia or thrombocytopenia, with rare occurrences of pancytopenia, potentially resulting in misdiagnosis as a hematological disorder. Surgical intervention remains an effective treatment for LCA.

Safety and Efficacy of Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Fine-Needle Aspiration Biopsy of Littoral Cell Angioma

Littoral cell angioma (LCA) is a rare vascular tumor of the spleen that often requires histopathological analysis for diagnosis due to non-specific imaging features. The current approach is either splenectomy or image-guided percutaneous biopsy which carries notable procedure-associated morbidity and limited accuracy. We present a novel case of LCA successfully diagnosed with endoscopic ultrasound fine-needle aspiration biopsy (EUS-FNAB), demonstrating its potential to reduce the morbidity associated with traditional percutaneous biopsy methods. This case highlights EUS-FNAB's advantage in minimizing complications and its effectiveness in diagnosing vascular tumors of the spleen, supporting its inclusion in the diagnostic algorithm for splenic lesions. Further cases are encouraged to explore EUS-FNAB's role in diagnosing rare vascular tumors such as LCA to establish its efficacy and safety profile.

Case report and literature review: Asymptomatic littoral cell angioma in a 3-year-old girl

Background

Littoral cell angioma (LCA) is an extremely uncommon benign vascular tumor of the spleen. Cases of LCA in infants are rarely reported, and due to the rarity of the tumor and non-specific symptoms, the diagnosis of LCA is often overlooked in clinical practice.

Case report

We present a 3-year-old girl with pulmonary inflammation who was admitted to the hospital due to the discovery of a space-occupying lesion in the spleen. Pathology after splenectomy confirmed LCA, and there was no recurrence observed at the 5-month follow-up examination.

Conclusion

LCA should be considered when a child shows asymptomatic splenomegaly, with antigen expression indicating dual positivity of endothelial and histiocytic markers. Laparoscopic splenectomy remains the primary method of treating LCA.

Littoral Cell Angioma of the Spleen: A Case Report

Littoral cell angioma (LCA) is a rare, primary vascular tumor of the spleen that originates from the cells lining the venous sinuses of the spleen. Around 150 cases have been reported worldwide, with most reported cases of LCA being non-malignant but with unspecified malignant potential. As of 2022, three cases of malignant LCA have been reported. A 75-year-old male with a history of monoclonal gammopathy of uncertain significance presented with left upper outer quadrant abdominal pain. Ultrasound (US) scan showed a 10.5 cm round, circumscribed mass lesion, with hyperechoic foci, occupying the posterolateral aspect of the spleen. US-guided core needle biopsy of the mass revealed a diagnosis of "atypical cells present, suggestive of vascular neoplasm of the spleen," which was based on histologic and immunohistochemistry characteristics. Due to the size of the lesion, a malignant neoplasm was suspected, and a splenectomy was performed. Histological and immunohistochemical features of the splenic lesion returned a final diagnosis of benign LCA.

Littoral cell angiomas: Benign lesion with a penchant for visceral malignancies

Littoral cell angiomas are rare vascular tumors of the spleen. Because of their rarity, unclear etiopathogenesis, and association with other malignancies, these tumors can pose diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Due to paucity of published literature on this entity often limited to case reports, relevant data on this topic were procured and synthesized with the aid of a comprehensive Medline search in addition to oncologic, pathologic, radiologic, and surgical literature review on littoral cell angiomas. This article provides an in-depth review into postulated etiopathogenesis, pathology, clinical manifestations, associated malignancies, and prognostic features of littoral cell angiomas.

Early postsurgical lethal outcome due to splenic littoral cell angioma: A case report

BACKGROUND

Littoral cell angioma (LCA) is a rare benign vascular tumor of the spleen. Given its rarity, standard diagnostic and therapeutic recommendations have yet to be developed for reported cases. Splenectomy is the only method of obtaining a pathological diagnosis and providing treatment to obtain a favorable prognosis.

CASE SUMMARY

A 33-year-old female presented with abdominal pain for one month. Computed tomography and ultrasound revealed splenomegaly with multiple lesions and two accessory spleens. The patient underwent laparoscopic total splenectomy and accessory splenectomy, and splenic LCA was confirmed by pathology. Four months after surgery, the patient presented with acute liver failure, was readmitted, rapidly progressed to multiple organ dysfunction syndrome and died.

CONCLUSION

Preoperative diagnosis of LCA is challenging. We systematically reviewed online databases to identify the relevant literature and found a close relationship between malignancy and immunodysregulation. When a patient suffers from both splenic tumors and malignancy or immune-related disease, LCA is possible. Due to potential malignancy, total splenectomy (including accessory spleen) and regular follow-up after surgery are recommended. If LCA is diagnosed after surgery, a comprehensive postoperative examination is needed.

Incidental littoral cell angioma of the spleen: cross-sectional imaging findings and review of the literature

Littoral cell angioma (LCA) is a primary splenic hemangioma found mostly in normal red sinus shore cells of the reticuloendothelial cell system of the spleen. In most cases is benign, but sometimes malignancies have been reported. This tumor displayed epithelial and histiocytic properties based on its cell of origin, splenic littoral cells. In this case report, we will describe a case of a 21-year-male presenting with an incidentally discovered LCA illustrated by cross-sectional imaging techniques, highlighting how the diffusional sequence and the positron emission tomography study, thanks to their greater specificity, have contributed to reaching a correct diagnostic orientation more than dynamic studies with contrast agent in both computed tomography and magnetic resonance.

Clinical Landscape of Littoral Cell Angioma in the Spleen Based on a Comprehensive Analysis

OBJECTIVE

Littoral cell angioma (LCA) is currently considered to be a rare splenic tumor with malignant potential. As the epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical manifestation, treatment, and prognosis remain unclear, the clinical diagnosis and treatment of LCA have not been standardized. Hence, we performed a comprehensive analysis of 189 observational studies comprising 435 patients to improve the current status of diagnosis and treatment.

METHODS

PubMed, Embase, WanFang and CNKI were searched from inception to May 2021 to identify LCA studies that were published in English and Chinese. The clinical information of LCA patients were extracted and analyzed.

RESULTS

The LCA has a male-to-female ratio of 0.90 and a solitary-to-multiple ratio of 0.31. In terms of clinical features, 69.7% of the patients showed splenomegaly, 49.7% were asymptomatic, and 39.2% experienced epigastric discomfort. As the imaging findings of patients with LCA were nonspecific, an image-guided biopsy (10/12) was a safe and effective method for diagnosing in this condition. Notably, results of the prognostic analysis indicated that LCA has a lower risk of recurrence and metastasis. The patient may develop a stable disease or the tumor will grow but will not metastasize. Besides, the novel immunohistochemical pattern of LCA was described as CD31+/ERG+/FVIII Antigen+/CD68+/CD163+/lysozyme+/CD8-/WT1-.

CONCLUSION

LCA should be reconsidered as a benign primary splenic vascular neoplasm, which is more like an intra-splenic manifestation of abnormal body function. Image-guided biopsy with follow-up might be a beneficial choice for LCA patients. For LCA patients with abdominal discomfort, pathological uncertainty or continuous tumor enlargement, splenectomy remains the preferred treatment.

Vascular neoplasms and non-neoplastic vascular lesions of the spleen

Vascular neoplasms are among the most common conditions affecting the spleen. The majority of these are idiopathic, benign in nature and asymptomatic and therefore treated with a conservative management. Only rare cases cause splenomegaly and/or chronic consumption coagulopathies, thus requiring splenectomy. Among these, the most common is splenic hemangioma, followed by littoral cell angioma and lymphangioma. Peliosis is a peculiar tumor-like non-neoplastic vascular lesion that diffusely affects the spleen and frequently presents with concomitant hepatic involvement. As a distinctive feature, peliosis can occur as a secondary manifestation of infections, malignancies and in individuals using certain drugs. On the opposite spectrum of clinical behavior lies splenic angiosarcoma, a vascular endothelial malignancy with aggressive presentation and poor prognosis. In some cases the endothelial nature of this neoplasm may not be evident on routine histologic examination and immunohistochemistry is used to disclose such phenotype. The term hemangioendothelioma is rarely used to describe borderline vascular neoplasms which appear more aggressive than conventional hemangiomas, but that do not entirely fulfill the diagnostic criteria for angiosarcoma. Some of these neoplasms coexpress endothelial and histiocytic markers and therefore have been proposed as the borderline counterpart of littoral cell angioma. The existence of hemangioendothelioma as a diagnostic entity per se is debated and this diagnosis should be rendered with caution. The current review aims at highlighting the main histologic features of vascular neoplasms and non-neoplastic vascular lesions of the spleen.

Laparoscopic splenectomy for littoral cell angioma of the spleen: A case report

RATIONALE

Littoral cell angioma (LCA) is a rare primary vascular neoplasm of the spleen. It can be benign or malignant. Pathology and immunohistochemistry are the gold standards for the diagnosis of LCA. Therefore, splenectomy is recommended for the purpose of diagnosis and treatment, and subsequent follow-up is necessary. There are limited reports about LCA. Here, we present a case of a female patient with LCA undergoing laparoscopic splenectomy in order to provide clinical experience in LCA treatment.

PATIENT CONCERNS

A 32-year-old female attended the outpatient Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery for follow-up of hepatic hemangiomas. The patient presented with intermittent abdominal distension, which was slightly under no obvious inducement.

DIAGNOSIS

Physical examination found no signs of abdominal tenderness and rebound tenderness, and liver and spleen were impalpable. The contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) showed multiple space-occupying lesions in the spleen, mottled low-density lesions, multiple hypoattenuating nodules with no contrast enhancement on the arterious phase. Delayed contrast-enhanced helical CT scan displayed incomplete filling of hypodense splenic lesions.

INTERVENTIONS

Given that it was uncertain whether it was a benign or a malignant tumor, a laparoscopic total splenectomy was performed.

OUTCOMES

The final pathological diagnosis was LCA. Her postsurgical course was uneventful, and no surgery-related complications were found. No signs of recurrence were observed in the 16 months after the operation.

LESSONS

LCA was a rare primary vascular neoplasm of the spleen, and laparoscopic splenectomy for LCA was safe and feasible, and postoperative course was uneventful. However, regular follow-up and long-time monitoring after splenectomy for LCA is recommended because of its potential malignant biological behavior.

Successful chemotherapeutic treatment for metastatic littoral cell angioma: A case report

RATIONALE

Metastatic littoral cell angioma (LCA) is extremely rare. No standard therapeutic strategy has been established, and the impact of chemotherapy has not yet been evaluated.

PATIENT CONCERNS

A 61-year-old woman was admitted because of bicytopenia. She had a splenectomy for LCA of the spleen 10 years earlier. Bone marrow aspiration was normal, and a computed tomography (CT) scan showed hepatomegaly with multiple liver tumors.

DIAGNOSES

Liver biopsy samples showed macrophage-like cell infiltration in the hepatic sinusoids. Metastatic LCA was diagnosed based on immunohistochemistry, imaging tests, and the clinical course.

INTERVENTIONS

Immunosuppressive agents, such as prednisolone and cyclosporine, were ineffective. Next, cytotoxic agents, such as etoposide, paclitaxel, and vincristine, were administered.

OUTCOMES

Cytotoxic agents showed a prominent effect against LCA. CT showed improvement of the hepatomegaly, and fluoro-deoxyglucose (FDG) uptake decreased markedly at a follow-up FDG- positron emission tomography (PET) scan.

LESSONS

Chemotherapeutic treatment based on hemophagocytic syndrome or angiosarcoma might have anti-tumor activity against metastatic LCA. Analysis of the molecular characteristics of this tumor is needed to develop better treatment options.

Littoral cell angioma: A case report

Primary splenic lesions are rare entities among which littoral cell angioma (LCA) is a recently described, uncommon vascular lesion that is unique to the spleen. It has heretofore been described primarily in pathologic series and has been found mostly to behave as a benign entity. A few reports of malignant variants have been reported. We present a case report of a solitary LCA discovered after splenectomy for an incidentally discovered splenic lesion, along with a literature review.

Well-differentiated angiosarcoma of spleen: a teaching case mimicking hemagioma and cytogenetic analysis with array comparative genomic hybridization

Primary splenic angiosarcoma is extremely rare but aggressive malignant vascular neoplasm. Here, we report a case of vascular tumor in spleen that was initially misinterpreted as hemangioma. Two years after splenectomy, the patient admitted again with aggravated abdomen pain and severe anemia. The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan showed widely metastases. The ensuing biopsy for lesion both in liver and in bone marrow showed the similar pathological findings as that in spleen, which supported the final diagnosis of well-differentiated splenic angiosarcoma with extensive metastases. The patient was dead in 3 months after discharge without chemotherapy. The copy number changes for spleen lesion detected by array comparative genome hybridization showed copy number gain at 11q23.2, 11q24.3, 12q24.33, 13q34, copy number loss at 1q24.2-q31.3, 1q41-q42.2, 1 q42.3-q43, 2q36.3-q37.3, 2q37.7, 3q13.33-q26.2, 3q28 - q29, 9p11.2, 13q11, 15q11, homozygous copy loss at 8p11.22, 22q11.23. Less than 200 cases of splenic angiosarcoma have been published in literature of English. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time analyzed cytogenetic alteration in a well-differentiated primary splenic angiosarcoma.

Splenic littoral cell hemangioendothelioma: report of a case with hepatic metastases and review of the literature

Littoral cell tumors are unique to the spleen and are different from all other primary splenic tumors. These tumors may be divided into three types: "littoral cell angioma," "littoral cell hemangioendothelioma," and "littoral cell angiosarcoma." We present a patient with splenic littoral cell hemangioendothlioma accompanied by hepatic metastases.

Low-Grade, Metastasizing Splenic Littoral Cell Angiosarcoma Presenting With Hepatic Cirrhosis and Splenic Artery Aneurysm

The behavior of littoral cell neoplasms ranges from benign (littoral cell angioma, LCA) to highly malignant (angiosarcoma). Two unusual cases of low-grade metastatic littoral cell angiosarcoma (LCAS) have been reported with late recurrence and bulky metastases. We present the third case of this rare neoplasm in a 38-year-old man with cirrhosis and a large splenic artery aneurysm, without extrasplenic masses. The spleen showed nodules resembling LCA, immunoreactive for CD31, factor VIII, CD68, and CD163 but not CD8 or CD34. Also present were solid areas of immunophenotypically identical bland spindle cells, although lighter CD31 immunostaining distinguished them from LCA-like angiomatous channels. Similar cells diffusely infiltrated the cirrhotic liver. After splenectomy, pancytopenia resolved, and he is asymptomatic 19 months later. Low-grade LCAS is a previously unreported cause of cirrhosis and may metastasize without forming masses. In cases of LCA, CD31 immunohistochemistry may facilitate detection of LCAS and indicate metastatic potential.

When Benign Tumors Mimic Malignancies: A Case of Lymphangiomatosis Masquerading as Metastatic Disease

Lymphangiomatosis, a rare disorder of the lymphatic system characterized by the abnormal proliferation of lymphatic vessels, is a typically benign disorder that at times can exhibit invasive or malignant behavior. While generally considered a diagnosis of childhood, in adults the majority of cases are asymptomatic and found incidentally. Rarely, lymphatic overgrowth can occur, causing growth of lesions on imaging mimicking a metastatic process and occasionally, resulting in substantial morbidity and mortality. Here, we present such a case of lymphangiomatosis with multi-organ system involvement in liver, bone, and spleen. In addition to details of the clinical presentation and the pathologic review which led to the diagnosis, we describe our use of the tyrosine kinase inhibitor pazopanib, which may cause stabilization of lymphangiomatosis through blockade of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signaling, for systemic treatment in this unusual case.

SIRPα/CD172a and FHOD1 are unique markers of littoral cells, a recently evolved major cell population of red pulp of human spleen

Asplenic individuals are compromised not only in their ability to destroy infectious agents, but are at increased risk for death from autoimmune disease, certain tumors, and ischemic heart disease. Enhanced mortality is attributed to lack of phagocytes sequestered in spleen that efficiently engulf and destroy appropriate targets, although related cells are found elsewhere. To determine whether a unique population regulates RBC-pathogen clearance and filtration of altered self, we reviewed the anatomic literature and analyzed in situ by immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence the expression patterns of a little-characterized cell that dominates the splenic red pulp of humans and closely related primates: the venous sinus-lining or littoral cell (LC). High expression of the formin homology domain protein 1 outlines the LC population. Although LCs are endothelial-like in distribution, they express several macrophage-directed proteins, the RBC Duffy Ag receptor for chemokines and T cell coreceptor CD8α/α, yet they lack lineage-associated markers CD34 and CD45. Strikingly, SIRPα (CD172a) expression in human spleen concentrates on LCs, consistent with recent demonstration of a key role in RBC turnover and elimination versus release of infected or altered self. Our results indicate human LCs (SIRPα(+), formin homology domain protein 1(+), CD8α/α(+), CD34(-), CD45(-)) comprise a highly plastic barrier cell population that emerged late in primate evolution coordinate with CD8 expression. Unique to Hominidae, LCs may be the ultimate determinant of which cells recirculate after passage through human spleen.

Littoral cell angioma of the spleen diagnosed by endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy

Littoral cell angiomas are uncommon primary vascular neoplasms that arise from the sinusoidal lining or littoral cells of the splenic red pulp, and hence are unique to the spleen. We report a case of littoral cell angioma in 34-year-old woman, which was diagnosed by endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy (EUS-FNAB). The cytologic features of littoral cell angiomas have been described only in three previous case reports, one of which was a bench-top aspirate. In our case, we have utilized the fine-needle aspiration samples obtained by a linear endoscopic ultrasound examination for establishing the diagnosis. The characteristic cytologic features identified on the smears along with immunohistochemical analysis performed on the compact cellblock prepared from the aspirate aided in the confirmation of the diagnosis. We suggest that EUS-FNAB is a safe and reliable method in the diagnosis of vascular lesions of the spleen.

Littoral cell angioma of the spleen

Littoral cell angioma (LCA) is a rare primary benign vascular neoplasm of the spleen. The case of a 52-year-old female with LCA is reported. The patient did not have any symptoms or a significant past medical history. Computed tomography (CT) and ultrasound (US) imaging studies showed multiple lesions in the spleen and gallbladder stones. The tumour was removed successfully by laparoscopic splenectomy and simultaneously cholecystectomy was conducted for gallbladder stones. The patient recovered uneventfully. The tumour lining cells were positive for CD31/CD68 markers, and negative for CD34. This is the first report of a LCA combined with gallbladder stones.

Incidental littoral cell angioma of the spleen

BACKGROUND

Littoral cell angioma (LCA) is a recently described primary vascular neoplasm of the spleen that may be associated with other malignancies and may itself also have malignant potential.

CASE PRESENTATION

We present a case of LCA that was discovered incidentally in a 52-year-old woman who presented with biliary colic at the time of consultation for cholecystectomy. This vascular neoplasm was evaluated by ultrasound, CT, MRI, Tc-99m labelled red blood cell scintigraphy, and core biopsy. A splenectomy revealed LCA by pathological evaluation. Post-operative outcome was favourable with no evidence of complication or recurrent disease. Following this case presentation, clinical, radiographic, and pathological features of LCA will be reviewed as well as recent advances in our understanding of this uncommon splenic lesion.

CONCLUSION

LCA is a rare, generally benign, primary vascular tumour of the spleen that typically is discovered incidentally. Individuals diagnosed with this tumour must be carefully evaluated to exclude primary, secondary, and synchronous malignancies.