Lymphangioleiomyomatosis and Tuberous Sclerosis: Where Is the Border?
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Eur Respir J, 1996, 9, 399–401 Copyright ERS Journals Ltd 1996 DOI: 10.1183/09031936.96.09030399 European Respiratory Journal Printed in UK - all rights reserved ISSN 0903 - 1936 EDITORIAL Lymphangioleiomyomatosis and tuberous sclerosis: Where is the border? F. Bonetti*, P. Chiodera** Pulmonary lymphangioleiomyomatosis (PLAM) is a The key to addressing this unresolved question seems rare disease, characterized by an abnormal proliferation to be the definition of the diagnostic criteria of TS. The of smooth muscle throughout the lung; it occurs exclu- classical Vogt triad (seizures, mental retardation and facial sively in women, generally of reproductive age [1]. The angiofibroma) was the first important attempt to clini- muscle cells proliferating in PLAM show little or no cally define the syndrome. This diagnostic triad was atypia at histological level. Therefore, PLAM has been universally accepted and was, for a long time, consi- considered to be a hamartomatous lesion rather than a dered the hallmark of the disease. Whilst useful for clini- true neoplastic process. However, in spite of the bland cians, this approach led to a delay in the recognition of cytological features, the disease causes a progressive other diagnostic signs of TS, particularly the presence structural remodelling of the lung, leading to serious and classification of visceral lesions, such as angio- impairment of pulmonary function. Whilst survival curves myolipoma, so characteristic in this hereditary disease of now seem better than previously believed and hormonal autosomal dominant transmission. With the accumula- treatment has been introduced with encouraging results tion of knowledge on TS and the introduction of new [2], some patients progress to a condition necessitating diagnostic techniques, the Vogt triad has lost much of lung transplantation. its importance. The Vogt's diagnostic triad is now con- A disease with overlapping morphological features is sidered obsolete and too strict to encompass all cases of occasionally encountered within the neurological syn- TS. drome of tuberous sclerosis (TS), also called Bourneville's GOMEZ [6] revised the criteria for diagnosis of TS, disease. Indeed, the first description of PLAM, in 1918, showing that TS is much more common than previously was by LAUTENBACHER [3], in a female patient with the estimated, and that only 29% of cases had the complete stigmata of TS. Subsequently, various authors have Vogt's triad. A detailed analysis of the hierarchy of clin- reported examples of PLAM, in patients without clini- ical and imaging features necessary for a definitive, pre- cal evidence of TS. The question of whether PLAM is sumptive or suspect diagnosis of TS can be found in the a "forme fruste" of tuberous sclerosis or a distinct dis- work of GOMEZ [6]. In this revised classification of diag- ease has since been debated. nostic criteria, PLAM is considered sufficient for a pre- In 1975, CORRIN et al. [1] reviewed 34 cases in the lit- sumptive diagnosis of TS, when alone; and sufficient erature at that time and added 23 previously unpublished for a definitive diagnosis when in combination with at cases. In this work, the authors discussed the possibi- least one other feature of the same hierarchical diagnos- lity of a relationship between tuberous sclerosis and tic level (such as renal angiomyolipoma). PLAM, concluding that the question must be considered TS is, by definition, a disease with multiorgan involve- to be unresolved. ment. Most, if not all organs, can present abnormal When we consider the clinical settings of PLAM and growths of hamartomatous/neoplastic nature, thus lead- TS, important differences emerge. Notably, PLAM deve- ing to a great variety of signs and symptoms. The pro- lops exclusively in females, whilst TS affects both sexes tean manifestations of TS account for the difficulties in (but lung lesions in TS develop almost exclusively in establishing diagnostic criteria. females), and familial history is common in TS patients, It has always been difficult to place PLAM in the con- whilst it is absent in PLAM. These findings led STOVIN text of TS. In fact, PLAM has most often been observed et al. [4] to conclude that "lymphangiomyomatosis and as an isolated disease in patients without other symp- tuberous sclerosis are probably not different aspects of toms or signs characteristic of TS. In the work of CORRIN the same disease process but seem to be two different et al. [1], only 2 of the 28 cases evaluated had evidence disorders". Other authors have expressed an opposite of renal angiomyolipoma. At that time, however, most view, as in a recent paper by CASTRO et al. [5] reporting cases could not be thoroughly studied with modern imag- the clinical features of nine TS patients with pulmonary ing techniques. involvement. The authors concluded that "... TS is simi- In the interesting study by MAZIAK et al. [7] published lar to PLAM in terms of its natural history, clinical fea- in this issue of the Journal, the authors show a much tures and response to treatment". stronger association between PLAM and renal angiomyo- *Istituto di Anatomia Patologica, Università di Verona, Italy and lipoma than previously believed. Eight of 14 patients (57%) **Servizio di Anatomia Patologica, Ospedale di Esine (Brescia), Italy. had renal tumours consistent with angiomyolipomas, five 400 F. BONETTI, P. CHIODERA of which were bilateral. It should be noted that, when Genetic studies of TS have shown the presence of het- the revised diagnostic criteria of GOMEZ [6] for TS are erogeneity and two disease-determining genes have now applied, the majority of the patients reported by MAZIAK identified: TSC1 and TSC2. TSC1 has been identified et al. [7] could be definitely diagnosed as TS. on chromosome 9 (9p34.3) [16], and TSC2 on chromo- In addition, one patient showed a nodular growth in some 16 [17]. the pancreas, which was histologically proven to be an Recently, the European Chromosome 16 Tuberous Scle- angiomyolipoma. Angiomyolipoma is not restricted to rosis Consortium has identified and characterized the the kidney and has been reported in a number of loca- TSC2 on chromosome 16 (16p13.3) [18]. Loss of hetero- tions; however, this is the first report of a similar lesion zygosity on chromosome 16p13.3 in angiomyolipomas in the pancreas. from tuberous sclerosis patients has recently been re- The possible cause of this surprisingly high associa- ported, using the polymerase chain reaction from histo- tion is well delineated by the authors. Prolonged sur- logical sections [19]. The same genetic defect has also vival and extensive radiological examination seem to be been observed in cases of angiomyolipoma in patients the key factors. Whilst PLAM manifests through often without evidence of TS. A similar study needs to be per- dramatic symptoms, angiomyolipoma both renal and formed on PLAM both from TS patients and from spo- extrarenal are often asymptomatic, do not usually require radic cases. Technical problems make the genetic study surgical treatment and may go undocumented. Today, of PLAM more difficult. clinicoradiological investigation and fine needle aspira- In fact, whilst angiomyolipoma is a nodular tumour- tion cytology can conclusively diagnose angiomyolipoma like proliferation distinct from the surrounding kidney, preoperatively in most cases [8]. Only when present in PLAM is a subtle proliferation of muscle cells within unusual locations, such as the pancreas, angiomyoli- the normal structures of the lung. Isolation of a pure poma can pose difficult diagnostic problems, thus lead- population of cells is of major importance for genetic ing to surgery. This has been the case both in the patient studies. However these problems will probably be over- reported here and in a patient who recently came to our come by isolating nodules of PLAM through micro- observation [9]. dissection techniques. The findings of MAZIAK et al. [7] add further and sig- It seems reasonable to consider that genetic analysis nificant evidence of the clinical relationship between of PLAM will, in the near future, indicate whether the PLAM and angiomyolipoma. This strict correlation has same genetic defect is present in the TS-associated lesions recently also been demonstrated at the cellular level. In and in PLAM. In the meantime, we cannot but agree fact, immunohistochemical studies have shown that the with the conclusion of MAZIAK et al. [7] that there is muscle cells of PLAM exhibit a peculiar and distinctive increased evidence that "... PLAM and tuberous sclero- phenotype. These cells are positive not only for actin sis represent a spectrum of a similar disease process". and desmin (the typical markers of muscle nature) but TS should be suspected and searched for in all patients also for a melanogenesis marker, such as HMB45 [10, with PLAM; the border separating these two entities has 11]. Extensive studies have shown that this phenotype become rather indistinct. is indeed characteristic of PLAM: a number of other muscle proliferations, both in the lung and in other organs, have been tested with the same markers and none has References shown the same immunophenotypical pattern [12, 13]. Thus, the coexpression of muscle and melanogene- 1. Corrin B, Liebow AA, Friedman PJ. Pulmonary lym- sis markers has been used to identify PLAM on bioptic phangiomyomatosis: a Review. Am J Pathol 1975; 79: specimens, particularly on transbronchial biopsy, and dis- 348–382. tinguish PLAM from other morphologically similar 2. Taylor JR, Ryu J, Colby TV, Raffin TV. Lymphangioleio- proliferations (e.g. Kaposi's sarcoma, focal muscle hyper- myomatosis: clinical course in 32 patients. N Engl J plasia) [13]. Interestingly, this peculiar muscle cell, to Med 1990; 323: 1254–1260. identify which we have proposed the descriptive term of 3. Lautenbacher R. Dysembriomes métotipiques des reins, carcinose submiliere aigùe poumon avec amphysème "perivascular epithelioid cell" (PEC) [14], is also present généralisé et double pneumothorax. Ann Méd Interné in angiomyolipoma of the kidney [12, 15]. Thus, PLAM (Paris) 1918; 5: 435–450.