Myxoid liposarcoma

by Bibianna Purgina, MD FRCPC
December 7, 2022

What is myxoid liposarcoma?

Myxoid liposarcoma is a type of cancer that starts in adipose tissue (fat). Most patients are adults and the tumour commonly involves the limbs or extremities. Often patients with myxoid liposarcoma will be treated with radiation therapy before the tumour is removed surgically.

What causes myxoid liposarcoma?

Almost all myxoid liposarcomas harbour a type of genetic alteration called a translocation which combines the gene DDIT3 with one of the genes FUS or EWSR1. At the present time, doctors do not know what causes this genetic alteration to occur.

What are the symptoms of myxoid liposarcoma?

Most myxoid liposarcomas present as a large, painless mass. Those located in a deep site such as the abdomen may go undetected until the tumour is very large in size.

How is this diagnosis made?

The diagnosis of myxoid liposarcoma is usually after a small sample of the tumour is removed in a procedure called a biopsy. The biopsy tissue is then sent to a pathologist who examines it under a microscope. Additional tests such as fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) may also be performed to confirm the diagnosis.

What does myxoid liposarcoma look like under the microscope?

When examined under the microscope, parts of the tumour can look like normal fat. However, unlike normal fat, myxoid liposarcoma contains abnormal-looking cells fat cells, known as lipoblasts, as well abundant myxoid tissue. Also, the small blood vessels (capillaries) in myxoid liposarcoma tend to show a branching or plexiform pattern. Pathologists refer to these kinds of blood vessels as having a “chicken-wire” arrangement.

What genetic changes are found in myxoid liposarcoma?

Most myxoid liposarcomas harbour a type of genetic change called a translocation that combines the gene DDIT3 with either the FUS or EWSR1 genes. Pathologists test for this translocation by performing either fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) or next-generation sequencing (NGS) on a piece of the tissue from the tumour. This type of testing is can be done on the biopsy specimen or when the tumour has been surgically removed.

What is the FNCLCC grade and why is it important for myxoid liposarcoma?

Pathologists divide myxoid liposarcoma into three grades based on a system created by the French Federation of Cancer Centers Sarcoma Group (FNCLCC). This system uses three microscopic features to determine the tumour grade: differentiation, mitotic count, and necrosis. These features are explained in more detail below. The grade can only be determined after a sample of the tumour has been examined under the microscope.

Points (from 0 to 3) are assigned for each of the microscopic features (0 to 3) and the total number of points determines the final grade of the tumour. According to this system, myxoid liposarcomas may be either low or high-grade tumours. The tumour grade is important because high-grade tumours (grades 2 and 3) are more aggressive and are associated with a worse prognosis.

Points associated with each grade:

• Grade 1 – 2 or 3 points.
• Grade 2 – 4 or 5 points.
• Grade 3 – 6 to 8 points.

Microscopic features used to determine the grade:

1. Tumour differentiation – Tumour differentiation describes how closely the tumour cells look like normal fat cells. Tumours that look very similar to normal fat cells are given 1 point while those that look very different from normal fat cells are given 2 or 3 points.
2. Mitotic count – A cell that is in the process of dividing to create two new cells is called a mitotic figure. Tumours that are growing fast tend to have more mitotic figures than tumours that are growing slowly. Your pathologist will determine the mitotic count by counting the number of mitotic figures in ten areas of the tumour while looking through the microscope. Tumours with no mitotic figures or very few mitotic figures are given 1 point while those with 10 to 20 mitotic figures are given 2 points and those with more than 20 mitotic figures are given 3 points.
3. Necrosis – Necrosis is a type of cell death. Tumours that are growing fast tend to have more necrosis than tumours that are growing slowly. If your pathologist sees no necrosis, the tumour will be given 0 points. The tumour will be given 1 point if necrosis is seen but it makes up less than 50% of the tumour or 2 points if necrosis makes more than 50% of the tumour.

Why is the size of the tumour important for myxoid liposarcoma?

Tumour size is important because tumours less than 5 cm are less likely to spread to other parts of the body and are associated with a better prognosis. Tumour size is also used to determine the pathologic tumour stage (pT).

What does tumour extension​ mean and why is it important for myxoid liposarcoma?

Myxoid liposarcoma often starts in deep soft tissues, for example within a muscle in the arm or the leg. As the tumour grows, tumour cells can spread into or around other tissues and organs. This is called tumour extension. Your pathologist will carefully examine any surrounding tissues or organs submitted for tumour cells and the result of this examination will be described in your report.

What does treatment effect​ mean?

If you received chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy before the operation to remove the tumour, your pathologist will examine all the tissue sent to pathology to see how much of the tumour was still alive at the time it was removed from the body. Pathologists use the term viable to describe tissue that was still alive at the time it was removed from the body. In contrast, pathologists use the term non-viable to describe tissue that was not alive at the time it was removed from the body. Most commonly, your pathologist will describe the percentage of tumours that is non-viable.

What is lymphovascular invasion and why is it important?

Lymphovascular invasion means that cancer cells were seen inside a blood vessel or lymphatic vessel. Blood vessels are long thin tubes that carry blood around the body. Lymphatic vessels are similar to small blood vessels except that they carry a fluid called lymph instead of blood. The lymphatic vessels connect with small immune organs called lymph nodes that are found throughout the body. Lymphovascular invasion is important because cancer cells can use blood vessels or lymphatic vessels to spread to other parts of the body such as lymph nodes or the lungs.

What is perineural invasion and why is it important?

Perineural invasion is a term pathologists use to describe cancer cells attached to or inside a nerve. A similar term, intraneural invasion, is used to describe cancer cells inside a nerve. Nerves are like long wires made up of groups of cells called neurons. Nerves are found all over the body and they are responsible for sending information (such as temperature, pressure, and pain) between your body and your brain. Perineural invasion is important because the cancer cells can use the nerve to spread into surrounding organs and tissues. This increases the risk that the tumour will regrow after surgery.

What is a margin?

A margin is any tissue that was cut by the surgeon to remove the tumour from your body.  Depending on the type of surgery you have had, the margins can include bones, muscles, blood vessels, and nerves that were cut to remove the tumour from your body. All margins will be very closely examined under the microscope by your pathologist to determine the margin status. Specifically, a margin is called negative when there are no cancer cells at the edge of the cut tissue. A margin is called positive when there are cancer cells at the edge of the cut tissue. A positive margin is associated with a higher risk that the tumour will recur (regrow) in the same site after treatment.

Were lymph nodes examined and did any contain cancer cells?

Lymph nodes are small immune organs located throughout the body. Cancer cells can travel from the tumour to a lymph node through lymphatic channels located in and around the tumour. The movement of cancer cells from the tumour to a lymph node is called metastasis.

Many cancers can spread to the lymph nodes, but myxoid liposarcoma does this very rarely. If lymph nodes were part of the surgery to remove your tumour, your pathologist will examine them under the microscope and report whether cancer cells were found in any of the lymph nodes.

What is the pathologic stage for myxoid liposarcoma?

​The pathologic stage for myxoid liposarcoma is based on the TNM staging system, an internationally recognized system originally created by the American Joint Committee on Cancer. This system uses information about the primary tumour (T), lymph nodes (N), and distant metastatic disease (M)  to determine the complete pathologic stage (pTNM). Your pathologist will examine the tissue submitted and give each part a number. In general, a higher number means more advanced disease and a worse prognosis.

Tumour stage (pT) for myxoid liposarcoma

The tumour stage for myxoid liposarcoma varies based on the body part involved. For example, a 5-centimetre tumour that starts in the head will be given a different tumour stage than a tumour that starts deep in the back of the abdomen (the retroperitoneum). However, in most body sites, the tumour stage includes the tumour size and whether the tumour has grown into surrounding body parts.

Head and neck

T1 – The tumour is no greater than 2 centimetres in size.
T2 – The tumour is between 2 and 4 centimetres in size.
T3 – The tumour is greater than 4 centimetres in size.
T4 – The tumour has grown into surrounding tissues such as the bones of the face or skull, the eye, the larger blood vessels in the neck, or the brain.

Trunk and extremities (chest, abdomen, arms, legs)

T1 – The tumour is no greater than 5 centimetres in size.
T2 – The tumour is between 5 and 10 centimetres in size.
T3 – The tumour is between 10 and 15 centimetres in size.
T4 – The tumour is greater than 15 centimetres in size.

Intraabdominal and intrathoracic

T1 – The tumour is only seen in one organ.
T2 – The tumour has grown into the connective tissue that surrounds the organ from which is started.
T3 – The tumour has grown into at least one other organ.
T4 – Multiple tumours are found.

Retroperitoneum

T1 – The tumour is no greater than 5 centimetres in size.
T2 – The tumour is between 5 and 10 centimetres in size.
T3 – The tumour is between 10 and 15 centimetres in size.
T4 – The tumour is greater than 15 centimetres in size.

Periorbital

T1 – The tumour is no greater than 2 centimetres in size.
T2 – The tumour is greater than 2 centimetres in size but has not grown into the bones surrounding the eye.
T3 – The tumour has grown into the bones surrounding the eye or other bones of the skull.
T4 – The tumour has grown into the eye (the globe) or the surrounding tissues such as the eyelids, sinuses, or brain.

If after microscopic examination, no tumour is seen in the resection specimen sent to pathology for examination, it is given the tumour stage pT0 which means there is no evidence of a primary tumour. If your pathologist cannot reliably evaluate the tumour size or the extent of growth, it is given the tumour stage pTX (primary tumour cannot be assessed).  This may happen if the tumour is received as multiple small fragments.

Nodal stage (pN) for myxoid liposarcoma

Myxoid liposarcoma is given a nodal stage of 0 or 1 based on the presence or absence of cancer cells in one or more lymph nodes. If no cancer cells are seen in any lymph nodes, the nodal stage is N0. If no lymph nodes are sent for pathological examination, the nodal stage cannot be determined, and the nodal stage is listed as NX.  If cancer cells are found in any lymph nodes, then the nodal stage is listed as N1.

Metastasis stage (pM) for myxoid liposarcoma

Myxoid liposarcoma is given a metastatic stage of 0 or 1 based on the presence of cancer cells at a distant site in the body (for example the lungs). The metastatic stage can only be assigned if tissue from a distant site is submitted for pathological examination. Because this tissue is rarely present, the metastatic stage cannot be determined and is listed as MX.

The metastatic stage can only be given if tissue from a distant site is sent for pathological examination. Because this tissue is rarely present, the metastatic stage cannot be determined, and it is typically not included in your report.