What is a histiocytic sarcoma?
histiocyte sarcoma is a malignant form of cancer based on histiocytes. Histiocytes are tissue white blood cells or macrophages. This cancer can occur in many parts of the body because macrophages are found in all body tissues. Histiocytic sarcoma is generally aggressive cancer with poor prognosis. It is rare in humans and occurs more often in some dogs.
primary histiocytic tumors were found in the joints of the arms and legs, gastrointestinal tract, skin, bone marrow, spleen, central nervous system, lungs and even nasal cavity. The histiocytic cancer, located in one place, is called histiocytic sarcoma. If cancer spreads to other organs or distant lymph nodes, it is called disseminated histiocytic sarcoma.
"histiocyte" is a general term concerning a group of cells that share the same cell line. All histiocytes begin in bone marrow like stem cells. The bone marrow will become monocytes and migrate to boththe move system. These cells then leave the blood and enter the tissue where they are subject to differentiation to macrophages and become part of the immune system. Macrophages respond to foreign proteins and absorb in the body such as viruses and bacteria.
Until the beginning of the 21st century, only a small number of human cases were mentioned in the literature. It is possible that previous cases of histiocyte sarcoma have been incorrectly diagnosed as lymphoma non-hodgkins. These tumors were first classified as histiocytic sarcomas in 1970 based on the similarities of cells with macrophages. After this time, the research emphasis moved to cytochemical and immunohistochemical categorization of tumors.
It can be very difficult to diagnose this cancer because it is similar to other histiocytic growth. Some of these growths are non -lawyer, such as hemophagocytic syndrome. Other similar growths are malignant to malignant histiocytosis or monocytaRhno leukemia. One method used for diagnosis of histiocyte sarcoma is the protein of the CD163 hemoglobin receptor. This protein identifies cells that have a histiocytic line with a greater degree of specificity.
histiocytic sarcoma is recognized as occurring in several dog breeds and people. In Bernean mountain dogs, genetic familial susceptibility to cancer was observed. Other dogs that seem to be prone to histiocytic sarcoma include retrievals covered with surface, golden retrievers and rotvajur. Symptoms of hiniocyte sarcoma include weight loss, low energy, limping and food failure. Chemotherapy was mostly unsuccessful against this form of cancer and most dogs succumbed to the disease during months after diagnosis.
There is no test for early diagnosis of histiocyte sarcoma and the disease is usually proceeded when a diagnosis is made. After diagnosis there is a rapid progression of cancer, especially if the lymphatic connection is involvedh nodes. The best prognosis is for individual small tumors found in the limbs where surgical removal can provide a good long -term result.
In humans, survival levels and average survival length are difficult to calculate due to the rarity of histiocyte sarcoma. Some research has shown that patients who have an advanced stage of the disease have an average survival of about seven months after diagnosis, although it is possible to survive for many years with less raised stages of the disease. The tumor size was found to be a predictor of survival, with tumors equal or greater than about 1.4 inches (3.5 cm), which have the worst result.