Lipidized fibrous histiocytoma: clinicopathologic analysis of 22 cases

Abstract

We report the clinicopathologic analysis of 23 tumors from 22 patients with lipidized fibrous histiocytoma (FH), which has been an underrecognized variant of cutaneous FH. The 16 men and 6 women patients (male/female ratio, 2.7:1) ranged in age from 21 to 82 years (median, 50 years). The location of the tumor was concentrated strikingly in the lower limb, especially around the ankle, hence the alternative informal designation of "ankle-type" FH. The tumors showed relatively large size compared with those of conventional FH, ranging up to 8 cm in greatest dimension (median, 2.5 cm), and tended to be polypoid and yellowish in color. Hyperlipidemia was only a rare and perhaps incidental association in two cases. Histologically, lipidized FH was characterized by accumulation of numerous foam cells, smaller numbers of siderophages, and stromal hyalinization typically appearing "wiry," keloidlike, or osteoidlike, although focal features of ordinary FH almost always coexisted and were identified as a focal storiform or curlicue pattern of spindle tumor cells, epidermal hyperplasia, and peripheral "entrapped" dermal collagen. Although follow-up data are limited, the prognosis appears to be good with no recurrence, even after incomplete excision. These clinicopathologic features highlight lipidized FH as a distinctive variant, which can be distinguished from ordinary or other variants of FH, as well as from other foam cell-rich cutaneous lesions, especially xanthoma.