A Clinicopathologic Study of Lymphangioma

Kang, Bong Seon; Kang, Hoon; Kim, Si Young; Kim, Jin Woo; Park, Young Min; Park, Chul Jong; Oh, Shin Taek; Lee, Jun Young; Cho, Sang Hyun; Lee, Jeong Deuk

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Lymphangioma is an uncommon, benign hamartomatous malformation that consists of dilated lymphatic channels lined by normal, single-cell lymphatic endothelia. The diagnosis of lymphangioma is usually made on the basis of clinical and histopathological characteristics. The lymphangiomas are divided into lymphangioma circumscriptum, cavernous lymphangioma, cystic higroma, acquired progressive lymphangioma and lymphangiectasis.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to investigate clinical and histopathological features of lymphangioma, especially focusing on the pathologic classification.
METHODS
We retrospectively reviewed the medical records and 52 biopsy specimens of 51 patients who had been diagnosed with lymphangioma between January 1991 to September 2005 in 8 Hospitals under the charge of the Catholic Medical Center.
RESULTS
We compiled clinical data and histologic information on the 52 cases of 51 patients of lymphangioma as follows: The mean age at development was 16.5 years, and 56.9% of the patients were under 10 years old. Lymphangioma developed predominantly in females, at a sex ratio of 1:1.55. The disease duration exceeded 10 years in 45.1% of patients. Most patients were asymptomatic, but 13.7%, 9.8% and 2.0% of patients complained of tenderness, pruritus and pain, respectively. The lesion was usually solitary. Lymphangioma occurred on the trunk, extremities, head and neck, and genitalia in 43.6%, 30.9%, 20.0% and 5.5% of 52 cases respectively. The legs, back, abdomen and lip were also found to be commonly involved. Histopathologically, lymphangiomas were divided into lymphangioma circumscriptum, cavernous lymphangioma, cystic higroma, acquired progressive lymphangioma and lymphangiectasis in 69.2%, 17.3%, 1.9%, 5.8% and 5.8% of the 52 cases respectively.
CONCLUSION
Lymphangioma is un uncommon, benign hamartomatous malformation of lymphatic endothelial cells and occurs in several forms that differ in clinical and histological characteristics and prognosis. Therefore it is important to make a diagnosis on the basis of clinical and histopathologic findings and to understand the characteristics of the subtypes of lymphangioma.