Calcifying fibrous tumour of the pleura

Calcifying fibrous tumour is more commonly found in cutaneous or deep soft tissues.

Synonym

Childhood fibrous tumour with psammoma bodies

Epidemiology

Most patients are young adults, with an equal sex predilection.

Clinical features

Patient usually present with chest pain.

Radiology

Lesions may be solitary or multiple. The calcification may be apparent. Necrosis of the pellicle may lead to the mass moving freely within the pleural cavity.

Histopathology

The stroma is densely collagenous. There is dystrophic calcification, which may be psammomatous. Variable number of lymphoplasmacytic inflammatory cells are present.

Immunohistochemistry

	Vimentin	positive1
	CD68	positive1
	Factor XIIIa	positive1
	Cytokeratin	negative1
	Actin	negative1
	Desmin	negative1
	CD31	negative1
	CD34	negative1
	S-100	negative1

Differential diagnosis

Calcifying pleural plaque
Diffuse malignant mesothelioma
Solitary fibrous tumour
Calcified / hyalinising granuloma
Chronic fibrous pleuritis
Amyloid tumour
Inflammatory pseudotumour

Prognosis

Rarely, the tumour may recur after excision.

References

1 Granville L, Laga AC, Allen TC, et al. Review and update of uncommon primary pleural tumors: a practical approach to diagnosis. Arch Pathol Lab Med 2005; 129:1428-43

This page last revised 8.8.2006.