Diagnostic aspect of spindle-cell sarcomas by electron microscopy.

Spindle-cell sarcomas in the somatic soft tissue and soft parts, including fibrosarcoma, leiomyosarcoma, malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH), and malignant schwannoma were examined by electron microscopy in order to delineate the most reliable cellular features for their diagnosis. Fibrosarcoma consisted largely of fibroblastic cells and leiomyosarcoma cells were packed in forming small cell groups with constant junctional complexes of nexus and zonula adherens types. MFH showed variable cellular features containing the cells with myofibroblastic and histiocytic differentiation. Malignant schwannoma was characterized by tumor cells having slender cytoplasmic processes with overlapping or interdigitation and thick basement membrane. These ultrastructural features were contributory to the differential diagnosis of the sarcomas examined.