Home Dermatofibrosarcoma Protuberans
Article Publicly Available

Dermatofibrosarcoma Protuberans

  • Stefano Natali , Cara Borelli and Paul Shogan
Published/Copyright: May 1, 2020
Download Article (PDF)
Journal of Osteopathic Medicine
From the journal Journal of Osteopathic Medicine Volume 120 Issue 5

A 26-year-old woman with no prenatal care presented to the labor and delivery department in active labor at 38.4-weeks’ gestation. A large multinodular abdominal mass suspicious for central necrosis and infected tissue was noted along her right lower quadrant. After successful vaginal delivery, computed tomography of the abdomen and pelvis demonstrated an enhancing multilobulated mass involving the skin and soft tissue, measuring 10.0 cm by 5.4 cm (image A, arrows). One week postpartum, the mass was surgically excised via wide local excision.

The histopathologic examination revealed a spindle-cell neoplasm showing a storiform type arrangement of the spindle cells (image B, circle; hematoxylin-eosin, original magnification × 100), with mild nuclear pleomorphism, invasion of the subcutaneous fat, and positive immunohistochemistry for vimentin and CD34 (not shown). These findings revealed a rare soft tissue sarcoma known as dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans, which has an estimated incidence of 0.8 to 4.5 cases per million per year.1 These tumors comprise roughly 6% of all soft tissue sarcomas.2 They are superficial, slow-growing, and have a low malignant potential, with roughly 85% to 90% being low grade with a relatively good prognosis. 3 Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans has a high frequency of local regional recurrence, with rates ranging from 26% to 60%.4

From the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine–Carolinas Campus in South Carolina, the Regional Medical Center in Orangeburg, South Carolina, and the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio in Texas.
Financial Disclosures: None reported.
Support: None reported.

*Address correspondence to Stefano Natali, OMS IV, 5770 SW 53rd Terrace, Miami, FL, 33155–6334. Email:

References

1. CriscioneVD, WeinstockMA. Descriptive epidemiology of dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans in the United States, 1973 to 2002.J Am Acad Dermatol.2007;56(6):968-973. doi10.1016/j.jaad.2006.09.006Search in Google Scholar PubMed

2. WHO classification of tumours of soft tissue and bone. In: FletcherCDM, BridgeJA, HogendoornPCW, MertensF, eds. World Health Organization Classification of Tumours. 4th ed. Vol 5. International Agency for Research on Cancer; 2013.Search in Google Scholar

3. AngouridakisN, KafasP, JerjesW, et al.. Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans with fibrosarcomatous transformation of the head and neck. Head Neck Oncol. 2011;3:5. doi:10.1186/1758-3284-3-5Search in Google Scholar PubMed PubMed Central

4. LiY, WangC, XiangB, ChenS, LiL, JiY. Clinical features, pathological findings and treatment of recurrent dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans. J Cancer.2017;8(7):1319-1323. doi:10.7150/jca.17988 2Search in Google Scholar PubMed PubMed Central

Received: 2019-08-28
Accepted: 2019-09-03
Published Online: 2020-05-01
Published in Print: 2020-05-01

© 2020 American Osteopathic Association

Articles in the same Issue

  1. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
  2. Transitions in Undergraduate Medical Education
  3. ORIGINAL CONTRIBUTION
  4. Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine Practice Patterns of Third-Year and Fourth-Year Osteopathic Medical Students: An Educational Research Project
  5. Does the Halo Effect for Level 1 Trauma Centers Apply to High-Acuity Nonsurgical Admissions?
  6. Weekly Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment to Improve Measures of Sympathetic Tone in Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Randomized, Controlled Pilot Study
  7. Regular Mindful Yoga Practice as a Method to Improve Androgen Levels in Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Randomized, Controlled Trial
  8. BRIEF REPORT
  9. Effect of Abdominal Lymphatic Pump Treatment on Disease Activity in a Rat Model of Inflammatory Bowel Disease
  10. CLINICAL REVIEW
  11. Antithrombotic Therapy for Patients With Atrial Fibrillation and Acute Coronary Syndrome or Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
  12. REVIEW
  13. Rhinitis: The Osteopathic Modular Approach
  14. CASE REPORT
  15. Psychogenic Adipsia Presenting as Recurrent Functional Vomiting and Hypernatremia
  16. CLINICAL IMAGES
  17. Dermatofibrosarcoma Protuberans
https://doi.org/10.7556/jaoa.2020.056

Articles in the same Issue

  1. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
  2. Transitions in Undergraduate Medical Education
  3. ORIGINAL CONTRIBUTION
  4. Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine Practice Patterns of Third-Year and Fourth-Year Osteopathic Medical Students: An Educational Research Project
  5. Does the Halo Effect for Level 1 Trauma Centers Apply to High-Acuity Nonsurgical Admissions?
  6. Weekly Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment to Improve Measures of Sympathetic Tone in Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Randomized, Controlled Pilot Study
  7. Regular Mindful Yoga Practice as a Method to Improve Androgen Levels in Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Randomized, Controlled Trial
  8. BRIEF REPORT
  9. Effect of Abdominal Lymphatic Pump Treatment on Disease Activity in a Rat Model of Inflammatory Bowel Disease
  10. CLINICAL REVIEW
  11. Antithrombotic Therapy for Patients With Atrial Fibrillation and Acute Coronary Syndrome or Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
  12. REVIEW
  13. Rhinitis: The Osteopathic Modular Approach
  14. CASE REPORT
  15. Psychogenic Adipsia Presenting as Recurrent Functional Vomiting and Hypernatremia
  16. CLINICAL IMAGES
  17. Dermatofibrosarcoma Protuberans
Sign up now to receive a 20% welcome discount
Institutional Access
How does access work?
Have an idea on how to improve our website?
Please write us.
© 2025 De Gruyter Brill
Downloaded on 7.9.2025 from https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.7556/jaoa.2020.056/html
Scroll to top button