ABSTRACT
Aneurysmal fibrous histiocytoma(AFH) is a histologic variant of dermatofibroma. The importance of the recognition of AFH as a variant of dermatofibroma lies in the differential diagnosis because the histologic appearance of AFH is very similar to dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans and other vascular malignancies, such as Kaposi's sarcoma and angiosarcoma. A 32-year-old man was seen for a nodular mass on the right popliteal fossa of 4 years' duration. The excisional biopsy specimen showed a relatively well circumscribed tumor mass in the dermis. In addition to compact storiform proliferation of spindle cells, there were multiple, irregular, blood-filled, aneurysmal tissue spaces that were devoid of lining of endothelial cells. Also, deposition of hemosiderin was prominent, particularly in the periphery of the aneurysmal spaces. Immunohistochemical stain for CD34 were negative to most tumor cells. After excisional therapy, there was no evidence of recurrence during the period of ten months' follow-up.
Subject(s)
Adult , Humans , Aneurysm , Biopsy , Dermatofibrosarcoma , Dermis , Diagnosis, Differential , Endothelial Cells , Follow-Up Studies , Hemangiosarcoma , Hemosiderin , Histiocytoma, Benign Fibrous , Recurrence , Sarcoma, KaposiABSTRACT
A case of aneurysmal ("angiomatoid") fibrous histiocytoma (AFH) in a 12-year-old girl is presented with its unusual clinicopathologic features. The lesion had the full microscopic characteristics of AFH described in prior reports, but it also had some features that differed from the original description of the disorder, such as the involvement of subcutis, its occurrence in the scalp, and a documented history of minor trauma. The lesion clinically resembled the gross features of hemangioma. The experience in the present case raises the need for considering AFH as one of major differential diagnosis of nodular cutaneous tumors in children that simulate malignancy such as angiomatoid malignant fibrous histiocytoma and Kaposi's sarcoma.