Solitary fibrous tumor on needle biopsy and transurethral resection of the prostate: A clinicopathologic study of 13 cases

One of the least commonly encountered spindle cell tumors seen on prostatic needle biopsy or transurethral resection (TUR) of the prostate is solitary fibrous tumor (SFT). We studied 13 cases of SFTs identified on either prostate needle biopsy (n=9) or TUR of the prostate (n=4). Mean patient age at diagnosis was 63 years (range: 46 to 75 y; median: 65 y). Twelve men presented with urinary tract symptoms and 1 patient was biopsied during work-up of bone metastases. Ten cases were SFTs originating in the prostate, 2 cases arose between the prostate and rectum extending into the prostate (n=2), and 1 case was a pelvic mass without infiltration of the prostate. In 9 cases, a complete tumor resection was attempted by cystoprostatectomy (n=2), radical prostatectomy (n=4), pelvic exenteration (n=2), or pelvic tumor resection (n=1). Enucleation (n=1) and TUR (n=1) were performed in 2 other cases. Tumor sizes ranged from 8.5 to 15 cm in 7 radically resected cases. Mitotic rates were 3 to 5 per 10 high power fields in 5 cases, with the remaining cases having either rare (n=4) or no mitoses (n=4). Seven cases demonstrated areas of necrosis. Based on a combination of increased cellularity, mitotic activity, necrosis, nuclear pleomorphism, and infiltrativeness, 4 prostatic SFTs were malignant, 4 were benign, and 2 were borderline. Of the 3 non-prostatic SFTs, 1 was malignant and 2 were borderline. All tumors but 1 were immunoreactive for CD34 (n=12). Material for additional immunohistochemistry was available for the majority of cases with positive stains for Bcl-2 (11/11), CD99 (7/10), β-catenin (5/10), and c-kit (0/11). Three SFTs demonstrated ≥10% p53 immunoreactivity including 1 tumor with 50% positivity; and 3 cases had Ki-67 rates of ≥20%. Although all SFTs were initially clinically considered to be of prostatic origin, some of the cases arose in the pelvis with secondary involvement of the prostate. Approximately 50% of prostatic SFTs were malignant. Even in the prostatic and nonprostatic SFTs with no overt malignant features, sometimes it was necessary to remove the prostate and in some instances the adjacent organs because of the large size of the tumors. SFTs must be differentiated from other spindle cell neoplasms of the prostate especially from gastrointestinal stromal tumors that may arise from the rectal wall with invasion of the prostate or from the region between the rectum and the prostate.