Case Report

A Case Report of Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase-Negative Inflammatory Myofibroblastic Tumor in the Anterior Mediastinum of an Elderly Male

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DOI:

10.3791/69850

June 26th, 2026

* These authors contributed equally

In This Article

Summary

An older male patient with an anaplastic lymphoma kinase-negative inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor in the anterior mediastinum achieved favorable disease control after complete surgical resection and remained recurrence-free during 2 years of follow-up.

Abstract

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) is an uncommon mesenchymal neoplasm of intermediate biological potential, characterized by proliferating myofibroblastic spindle cells with a prominent inflammatory infiltrate. Although IMT occurs more commonly in children and young adults, primary involvement of the anterior mediastinum is exceedingly rare, particularly in older male patients, and may mimic more common anterior mediastinal tumors such as thymoma or thymic carcinoma. The authors report on a 68-year-old male patient with an incidentally detected anterior mediastinal mass. Contrast-enhanced chest computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a 6.6 × 3.6-cm anterior mediastinal soft-tissue lesion with heterogeneous enhancement, peripheral delayed enhancement, central hypoenhancement, restricted diffusion, and an indistinct interface with adjacent pericardial structures. The patient underwent complete surgical resection via median sternotomy. Histopathological examination showed spindle-cell proliferation with a prominent lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate, supporting the diagnosis of IMT. Immunohistochemistry showed anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) negativity. Additional ancillary studies showed negative staining for CD21, CD23, and CXCL13 and negative Epstein–Barr virus (EBV)-encoded small RNA in situ hybridization, arguing against follicular dendritic cell sarcoma and EBV-associated lesions. Fluorescence in situ hybridization showed no rearrangements involving ALK, ROS1, RET, or PDGFRB. The patient recovered well without adjuvant therapy, postoperative CA125 and neuron-specific enolase levels returned to the normal range, and no recurrence or metastasis was observed during 2 years of follow-up. This rare case highlights that ALK-negative anterior mediastinal IMT should be considered in the differential diagnosis of anterior mediastinal masses across age groups. Complete resection may provide durable disease control in selected resectable cases, but the single-case nature of this report and the known recurrence potential of IMT support cautious interpretation and long-term surveillance.

Introduction

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) is an uncommon mesenchymal neoplasm composed of spindle-shaped fibroblastic or myofibroblastic cells accompanied by a variable chronic inflammatory infiltrate, most commonly plasma cells and lymphocytes, with occasional eosinophils and mast cells1,2. According to the latest World Health Organization (WHO) classification, IMT is recognized as a tumor of intermediate biological potential rather than a purely reactive inflammatory lesion3. In the 2002 WHO classification of soft-tissue tumors, the term ‘inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor’ was formally adopted, and the tumor was categorized among fibroblastic and myofibroblastic tumors with rare metastatic potential4.

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor has a broad anatomic distribution and has been reported in the thoracopulmonary region, abdominal cavity, gastrointestinal tract, urinary system, and other sites5. Although IMT is reported more frequently in children and young adults, its age distribution varies by anatomic location, and adult or older patients should not be excluded from consideration solely based on age6. Pulmonary IMT represents a small proportion of lung tumors, but it is relatively more frequently encountered among benign lung tumors in children7,8. In the gastrointestinal tract, IMT most often involves the small intestine and colon9. In the urinary system, the bladder is the most commonly affected organ, with cases described in both pediatric and adult patients10,11,12. Head and neck IMT accounts for approximately 15%–25% of all IMT cases and can occur across a wide age range without a consistent sex predilection13,14. By contrast, primary IMT of the anterior mediastinum is exceptionally rare. In this location, IMT may clinically and radiologically mimic more common anterior mediastinal tumors, including thymoma, thymic carcinoma, lymphoma, germ cell tumor, and neuroendocrine neoplasm.

The clinical manifestations and imaging features of IMT are nonspecific, which may lead to misdiagnosis or delayed treatment, particularly when the tumor arises in an unusual site. Accurate diagnosis usually requires integrating clinical findings, multimodal imaging, histopathological morphology, immunohistochemistry, and, when available, molecular testing. This is especially relevant for anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-negative IMT because ALK negativity does not exclude IMT and may warrant consideration of alternative molecular alterations in selected cases. Complete surgical resection remains the preferred treatment for resectable, localized disease; however, the prognosis should be interpreted cautiously, as local recurrence can occur and long-term surveillance is required. This article reports a rare case of ALK-negative primary anterior mediastinal IMT in a 68-year-old male patient, highlighting the need to consider IMT in the differential diagnosis of anterior mediastinal masses in older patients and the importance of integrating imaging, histopathology, immunohistochemistry, and molecular considerations when evaluating ALK-negative spindle-cell lesions.

Case presentation:

A 68-year-old male patient presented to the hospital on March 4, 2022, after an anterior mediastinal mass was incidentally detected during a routine health examination 1 week earlier. The patient was asymptomatic at presentation. Past medical and family histories of the patient were unremarkable. On admission, a physical examination revealed bibasilar crackles; no other significant signs were noted.

Diagnosis, assessment, and plan:

Initial contrast-enhanced chest computed tomography (CT) revealed an anterior mediastinal mass, prompting further evaluation. Tumor markers showed mildly elevated CA125 (42.25 U/mL) and neuron-specific enolase (NSE; 31.85 ng/mL). Routine blood tests, liver function, routine biochemistry, coagulation profile with D-dimer, arterial blood gas analysis, and T-SPOT.TB assay and antinuclear antibody testing were unremarkable. Enhanced chest CT (Figure 1A–D) demonstrated a large anterior mediastinal soft-tissue mass (6.6 × 3.6 cm) with homogeneous density. Heterogeneous enhancement was observed, with peripheral delayed enhancement and central hypoenhancement, suggesting heterogeneous vascularity. The lesion showed an indistinct interface with adjacent pericardial structures, suggesting local adhesion or possible invasion. Chest-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (Figure 2A–D) revealed an iso- to slightly hyperintense T2 signal lesion with restricted diffusion on diffusion-weighted imaging, consistent with high tumor cellularity. Dynamic enhancement showed venous-phase hyperenhancement with signal heterogeneity, compatible with a hypervascular tumor. The poor demarcation between the pericardium and the anterior pleura further supported the possibility of local adhesion or infiltration. Cardiac ultrasonography (Figure 3) identified a well-circumscribed hypoechoic mass (58 × 33 mm) anterior to the right ventricle, correlating with the mediastinal lesion on CT/MRI. Multidisciplinary consultation involving thoracic surgery, radiology, oncology, and cardiac surgery departments concluded that the imaging findings, including an anterior mediastinal hypervascular mass with pericardial adhesion and diffusion restriction, raised concern for a malignant anterior mediastinal tumor, particularly thymoma or thymic carcinoma; lymphoma, germ cell tumor, and neuroendocrine neoplasm were also considered in the differential diagnosis. Surgical resection was recommended for definitive diagnosis and treatment.

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Protocol

1. Ethics statement and patient consent

This case report was reviewed and approved by the Ethics Committee of Shengli Oilfield Central Hospital (Approval No. YXLL202504301). The Ethics Committee waived the requirement for written informed consent because all patient information was anonymized and no identifying information was included in the publication. All patient-identifying information has been removed from the clinical, imaging, intraoperative, and histopathological materials presented in this report.

2. Surgical resection procedure

  1. On March 10, 2022, the patient received general anesthesia.
  2. Initial surgical access was obtained via a subxiphoid thoracoscopic approach for exploration.
  3. Intraoperative findings confirmed a large tumor in the anterior mediastinum with moderate firmness on palpation and extensive adhesions to surrounding tissues, particularly the pericardium.
  4. Due to the tumor size and adhesions, the procedure was converted to a median sternotomy to ensure adequate exposure and safe dissection.
  5. The tumor was completely resected en bloc with adjacent adherent adipose tissue and portions of the pericardium to which it was tightly adhered, ensuring negative macroscopic margins.
  6. The thoracic cavity was thoroughly explored, and no evidence of metastatic deposits or implantation foci was found.

3. Specimen processing and pathological analysis

  1. The resected specimen was measured and subjected to gross examination.
  2. The specimen was fixed in 10% neutral buffered formalin for 24–48 h.
  3. Fixed tissue was routinely processed using an automated tissue processor, dehydrated, cleared, and embedded in paraffin wax.
  4. Paraffin blocks were sectioned at 4–5 µm thickness using a microtome.
  5. Sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin (HE) using an automated HE staining system.
  6. Consecutive sections were used for immunohistochemical (IHC) staining on an automated IHC staining platform in accordance with the manufacturer’s protocol. Appropriate positive and negative controls were included for each staining run.
  7. The IHC antibody panel included the following: Vimentin, CD35, CD68, β-catenin, Ki-67, pan-Cytokeratin (pan-CK), epithelial membrane antigen (EMA), ALK, smooth muscle actin (SMA), CD117, and S-100. The antibody clones, dilutions, manufacturers, and catalog numbers are provided in the Table of Materials.
  8. Additional ancillary IHC and in situ hybridization studies were performed for differential diagnosis, including CD21, CD23, CXCL13, and Epstein–Barr virus (EBV)-encoded small RNA (EBER) in situ hybridization. The antibody/probe details are provided in the Table of Materials.
  9. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis was performed to evaluate rearrangements involving ALK, ROS1, RET, and PDGFRB. The probe details are provided in the Table of Materials.

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Results

The following outcomes were obtained by executing the described protocol. The procedure successfully achieved complete macroscopic resection of the anterior mediastinal mass. Histopathological analysis of the resected specimen supported the final diagnosis of IMT. Histological examination results: Microscopic evaluation of HE-stained sections revealed spindle-shaped tumor cells arranged in fascicles or a storiform pattern. The cells exhibited abundant eosinophilic cytoplasm and round-to-oval nuclei with mild atypia. The ...

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Discussion

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor is a rare mesenchymal tumor composed predominantly of spindle-shaped myofibroblastic or fibroblastic cells accompanied by a variable inflammatory infiltrate15. The pathogenesis of IMT has not been fully elucidated despite its histological features being relatively well defined. Chronic inflammatory stimulation has been proposed as one potential contributor to tumor development, but IMT is now generally regarded as a true neoplasm rather than a purely reactive inf...

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Disclosures

The authors have nothing to disclose.

Acknowledgements

The authors have no acknowledgments.

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Materials

List of materials used in this article
NameCompanyCatalog NumberComments
10% neutral buffered formalinGuangzhou Weiges Biotechnology Co., Ltd.5200015Used for fixation of the resected tumor specimen.
ALK antibodyFuzhou Maixin Biotech Co., Ltd.MAB-0281Clone ALKp80 (5A4); ready-to-use; used for ALK immunohistochemistry.
Automated H&E staining systemRoche Diagnostics/Ventana Medical SystemsVENTANA HE 600Used for automated hematoxylin and eosin staining.
Automated IHC staining platformRoche Diagnostics/Ventana Medical SystemsVENTANA BenchMark ULTRAUsed for immunohistochemical staining.
Automated tissue processorThermo Scientific/EprediaA82300001Used for dehydration, clearing, and paraffin infiltration of fixed tissue.
β-catenin antibodyFuzhou Maixin Biotech Co., Ltd.MAB-0754Clone MX043; ready-to-use; used to assess β-catenin expression.
Buffer solutionRoche Diagnostic Products (Suzhou) Co., LTD86187Used to maintain the appropriate pH during automated staining procedures.
Cardiac ultrasound systemPhilipsEPIQ 7CUsed for preoperative cardiac ultrasonography to evaluate the anterior mediastinal mass and its relationship to the right ventricle.
CD117 antibodyFuzhou Maixin Biotech Co., Ltd.Kit-0029Clone YR145; ready-to-use; used to exclude KIT-positive tumors.
CD21 antibodyFuzhou Maixin Biotech Co., Ltd.RMA-1030Clone MXR015; ready-to-use; used to exclude KIT-positive tumors.
CD23 antibodyFuzhou Maixin Biotech Co., Ltd.RMA-0504Clone SP23; ready-to-use; used to exclude KIT-positive tumors.
CD35 antibodyFuzhou Maixin Biotech Co., Ltd.RM-0768Clone EP197; ready-to-use; used to evaluate CD35 expression and assist in differential diagnosis.
CD68 antibodyFuzhou Maixin Biotech Co., Ltd.Kit-0026Clone KP1; ready-to-use; used to evaluate histiocytic/macrophage-associated staining.
CT scannerSiemens AGSOMATOM Force CTUsed for contrast-enhanced chest CT evaluation of the anterior mediastinal mass.
CXCL13 antibodyFuzhou Maixin Biotech Co., Ltd.MAB-1007Clone MX107; ready-to-use; used to evaluate CD35 expression and assist in differential diagnosis.
Decolorizing solutionRoche Diagnostic Products (Suzhou) Co., LTD86184Used for deparaffinization/decolorization during automated H&E staining.
EMA antibodyFuzhou Maixin Biotech Co., Ltd.Kit-0011Clone E29; ready-to-use; used to evaluate epithelial membrane antigen expression.
Eosin staining solution VENTANA HE 600 EosinVentana Medical Systems86183Used for cytoplasmic and extracellular matrix staining during automated H&E staining.
Glass cover slipVentana Medical Systems86188Used to cover stained tissue sections for microscopic examination.
Hematoxylin staining solution VENTANA HE 600 HematoxylinVentana Medical Systems86189Used for nuclear staining during automated H&E staining.
Ki-67 antibodyFuzhou Maixin Biotech Co., Ltd.RMA-0731Clone MXR002; ready-to-use; used to estimate the tumor proliferation index.
MicrotomeLeica Biosystems149BIO000C1Used to cut 4–5 μm paraffin sections.
MRI systemSiemens AGMAGNETOM Trio Tim 3.0T MRIUsed for contrast-enhanced chest MRI and diffusion-weighted imaging.
Pan-Cytokeratin antibodyFuzhou Maixin Biotech Co., Ltd.Kit-0009Clone AE1/AE3; ready-to-use; used to exclude epithelial tumor differentiation.
Paraffin waxFujian Weiao Medical Equipment Co., Ltd.WP-58/60Used for embedding processed tissue specimens.
Recoloring dye solutionRoche Diagnostic Products (Suzhou) Co., LTD86185Used as an auxiliary staining reagent to improve contrast during automated H&E staining.
S-100 antibodyFuzhou Maixin Biotech Co., Ltd.RMA-1075Clone MXR0347; ready-to-use; used to exclude neural or melanocytic differentiation.
Sample preservation solution VENTANA HE 600 Coverslip ActivatorVentana Medical Systems86181Used during the automated coverslipping process.
Smooth Muscle Actin antibodyFuzhou Maixin Biotech Co., Ltd.Kit-0006Clone 1A4; ready-to-use; used to evaluate smooth muscle/myofibroblastic differentiation.
VENTANA HE 600 Cleaning SolutionRoche Diagnostic Products (Suzhou) Co., LTD86190Used for routine cleaning and maintenance of the VENTANA HE 600 system. Please verify the exact product name from the reagent label.
VENTANA HE 600 Coverslip Activator (2-Pack)Ventana Medical Systems86186Used during the automated coverslipping process on the VENTANA HE 600 system.
VENTANA HE 600 WashRoche Diagnostic Products (Suzhou) Co., LTD86182Used for washing slides during the automated H&E staining process.
Vimentin antibodyFuzhou Maixin Biotech Co., Ltd.MAB-0735Clone MX034; ready-to-use; used to evaluate mesenchymal differentiation.

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