Dermatofibrosarcoma Protuberans—An Atypical Breast Tumor

A 49-year-old woman was referred to the Department of Plastic and Breast Surgery under suspicion of breast cancer after a mammogram revealed a self-discovered tumor in the lower part of her left breast. Clinical examination, mammography, and histopathological examination revealed that the original tumor in the left breast was benign, and an incidental malignant tumor, a dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP), was found in the contralateral breast. DFSP is a rare and highly malignant entity that is often silent and difficult to diagnose, making a biopsy essential. Surgical treatment must be aggressive due to the high risk of recurrence, which constitutes a technical challenge. The patient underwent surgery using an oncoplastic approach with a volume-reducing technique to achieve the best possible therapeutic and aesthetic results. Therapeutic breast reduction was performed on the right breast and the tumor was removed within the resected tissue. A contralateral symmetrizing mammoplasty was also performed simultaneously. The patient was discharged without major complications, and no recurrence of the tumor was seen during the 30-month follow-up period. The surgical approach included alternative solutions in addition to conventional lumpectomy or mastectomy. A multidisciplinary, open-minded, and creative approach resulted in a satisfying outcome for this patient.

Risk factors related to postoperative recurrence of dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans: A retrospective study and literature review

BACKGROUND Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans(DFSP)is a rare low-grade malignant soft tissue tumor characterized by rosette-like infiltrative growth.Postoperative recurrence of this tumor is very common.AIM To evaluate the risk factors related to recurrence after wide local excision(WLE)of DFSP and to guide clinical diagnosis and treatment.METHODS The medical records of 44 DFSP patients confirmed by pathology at our hospital from 2012 to 2019 were retrospectively reviewed.The relationship between clinical features,tumor characteristics,treatment,and recurrence risk were analyzed,and the possible risk factors for postoperative tumor recurrence were evaluated.RESULTS There were 44 patients in total,including 21 males and 23 females.The median progression free survival was 36 mo(range,1-240 mo).Twenty patients were treated for the first time,while 24 had previous treatment experience.Forty-two cases were followed for 25.76±22.0 mo,among whom four(9.52%)experienced recurrence after WLE(rate was 9.52%).The recurrence rate in the recurrent group was higher than that in the patients with primary tumor(19.05%vs 0%,P=0.028).Eighteen cases had a history of misdiagnosis(rate was 40.91%).The recurrence rate among patients with previous experience of misdiagnosis was significantly higher than in patients without(68%vs 36.84%,P=0.04).The tumor diameter in patients with a history of treatment was larger than in patients treated for the first time(4.75±0.70 cm vs 2.25±0.36 cm,P=0.004).CONCLUSION To sum up,the clinical manifestations of DFSP are not specific and are easily misdiagnosed,thus commonly causing the recurrence of DFSP.After incomplete resection,the tumor may rapidly grow.Previous recurrence history may be a risk factor for postoperative recurrence,and tumor location may have an indirect effect on postoperative recurrence;however,we found no significant correlation between sex,age,course of the disease,or tumor size and postoperative recurrence.

Dermatofibrosarcoma Protuberans of the Neck: A Case Report

Background: Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) is rare soft tissue sarcoma but has a locally aggressive nature. Although most cases are of low grade and have a rare metastasis rate, all DFSP variants have a tendency to show local recurrence. Wide excision with negative margins is the treatment of choice. Aim: To report a case of DFSP who presented with an asymptomatic slow growing tumor similar to etiologies such as hypertrophic scars or other benign soft tissue tumors. Case Presentation: A 68-year-old male presented with a large soft tumor located at the left posterior neck. Local excision was done under the preoperative impression of a benign tumor such as lipoma or sebaceous cyst. However the diagnosis of DFSP was made upon histological examination and the patient underwent another surgery to achieve free resection margins under general anesthesia as well as adjuvant radiotherapy. Conclusion: DFSP is a malignant tumor that is diagnosed histopathologically. Due to the low incidence rate, slow-growing nature, and non-alarming initial presentation features, diagnostic delay or even misdiagnosis is not uncommon.

Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans of the chest wall： three-dimensional wide excision and reconstruction

Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans （DFSP） is a poorly differentiated interstitial tumor that originates from the dermis. It occurs predominantly in the 20-50-year- old males. DFSP generally presents as local pink plaques or nodules and subsequently develops into nodular masses accompanied by infiltrative growth to the surrounding tissue, including muscle and bone.