PEComa of the nasal cavity with worrisome histologic features and benign behavior: a case report

Perivascular epithelioid cell tumor (PEComa) of the pterygopalatine fossa

Perivascular epithelioid cell tumors (PEComas) are a rare group of mesenchymal tumors associated with tuberous sclerosis. These tumors are typically treated with resection and rarely recur or exhibit malignant behavior. A 78-year-old woman presented with an incidentally discovered pterygopalatine fossa/retroantral mass. Excisional biopsy was performed and revealed pathology consistent with PEComa. Upon review of the literature, there have been 43 reported cases of PEComa of the head and neck. There is only one previously reported case of PEComa in the skull base, and none reported in the pterygopalatine fossa. Of note, the previously reported case of skull base PEComa involved an aggressive tumor with widespread metastasis. Here, we report the first case of a PEComa of the pterygopalatine fossa/retroantral region, which was treated conservatively. This rare pathology should be considered in the differential diagnosis for atypical skull base tumors.

Malignant perivascular epithelioid cell tumor mimicking jugular foramen schwannoma: A case report and literature review

Background

Perivascular epithelioid cell tumors (PEComas) of the skull base are extremely rare. Here we report the first description of a malignant PEComa mimicking jugular foramen schwannoma and presenting as Collet-Sicard syndrome, and we review the previous literature on PEComas of the head, neck and skull base.

Case description

A 29-year-old woman presented with hoarseness, dysphagia, vomiting, and headache. She was first diagnosed with Collet-Sicard syndrome caused by thrombosis of the sigmoid and transverse sinuses. She was treated with anticoagulant therapy, and the hoarseness and paralysis of the accessory nerve improved. Later, at age 31, the hoarseness again worsened. At another hospital, enhanced computed tomography revealed a tumor in the jugular foramen extending to the neck and medially displacing the internal carotid artery. She was referred to our hospital for further examination and was diagnosed with jugular foramen schwannoma causing thrombosis of the sinuses. At the one-year follow-up, the tumor had grown rapidly and had started to surround the internal carotid artery. We therefore performed a tissue biopsy of the tumor in the jugular foramen and neck. Based on pathological analysis, we made a definitive diagnosis of malignant PEComa.

Conclusions

It may be extremely challenging to reach an accurate diagnosis of PEComa in the skull-base region, which can cause a delay in treatment initiation. When atypical clinical features for a skull-base tumor are found, we recommend preliminary biopsy to obtain a definitive diagnosis and initiate an appropriate treatment strategy as early as possible.

Melanotic PEComa of the Sinonasal Mucosa With NONO-TFE3 Fusion: An Elusive Mimic of Sinonasal Melanoma

Perivascular epithelioid cell neoplasms (PEComas) are a family of mesenchymal tumors with features of both smooth muscle and melanocytic differentiation, with or without true melanin pigment. The highly variable morphology of PEComas results in a broad differential diagnosis that is also dependent on anatomic site. A subset demonstrates rearrangements involving the TFE3 (Xp11) locus, which can be used in diagnostically difficult cases. Here we describe a case of a melanotic PEComa with NONO-TFE3 fusion occurring in the sinonasal mucosa, as demonstrated by both next-generation sequencing and molecular cytogenetic studies. This case is the first of its kind in the literature and only the second documented PEComa harboring a NONO-TFE3 rearrangement. In light of unequivocal molecular ancillary studies, this case illustrates that PEComa must enter the differential for pigmented lesions of the sinonasal mucosa, where malignant melanoma would be much more likely to occur.