SMARCB1-Deficient Malignant Orbital Neoplasm with Features Overlapping Myxoid Epithelioid Sarcoma: A Diagnostic Challenge
Authors:
- 24 June 2026
- journal article
- case report
- Published by Springer Nature in Head and Neck Pathology
- Vol. 20 (1)
Abstract
Myxoid epithelioid sarcoma is a rare morphologic variant of epithelioid sarcoma characterized by abundant myxoid stroma and frequent loss of SMARCB1/INI1 expression. Orbital involvement is exceptionally uncommon. We report a case of a SMARCB1-deficient malignant orbital neoplasm with features overlapping myxoid epithelioid sarcoma in a 61-year-old man presenting with visual disturbance. Imaging studies revealed a 2.5-cm medial orbital mass without evidence of another primary lesion. The tumor was excised without prior biopsy. Histologically, the lesion was predominantly composed of abundant myxoid stroma containing scattered atypical epithelioid, signet ring-like, and spindle cells, with focal fascicular proliferation infiltrating skeletal muscle. Immunohistochemically, tumor cells were positive for pan-cytokeratin, EMA, vimentin, and CD34, while negative for S100, ΔNp63 (p40), p63, SS18-SSX, and TLE1. Complete loss of SMARCB1/INI1 expression was observed in tumor cells. The overall findings suggested a SMARCB1-deficient malignant neoplasm showing substantial morphologic and immunophenotypic overlap with myxoid epithelioid sarcoma. This case highlights the diagnostic challenges posed by SMARCB1-deficient tumors arising in unusual anatomical sites and expands the clinicopathological spectrum of myxoid epithelioid sarcoma-like neoplasms involving the orbit.Keywords
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