Late local recurrence of dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans in the skin of female breast

Abstract

Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) of the breast is exceptionally obscure and late local recurrence of this entity on this site is even more uncommon. We describe such a case in a 48-year-old woman, who at the age of 35 had a DFSP excised from her right breast. Thirteen years later, she developed an ovoid mass in her right breast over the postsurgical scar area. Wide local excision of the tumor with generous tissue margin was performed and microscopic and immunohistochemical findings established the diagnosis of recurrent DFSP. No further treatment was administered and she remains well 18 months later, without tumor recurrence. We report an exceptionally rare case of local recurrence of DFSP in the female breast and discuss in detail the diagnostic and therapeutic implications of this pathology.

Figure 1

Breast ultrasonography showing a superficial, solid, well-defined lesion with increased shadowing through transmission, simulating a benign breast neoplasm.

Figure 2

Histologic section of the breast tumor demonstrating irregular extension of spindle-cell neoplasm (black arrows) into adipose tissue (Haematoxylin and Eosin stain; original magnification × 100).

Figure 3

Higher-magnification photomicrograph showing bundles of fairly uniform, spindle cells (black arrows), arranged in a prominent "storiform" or "cartwheel" pattern (Haematoxylin and Eosin stain; original magnification × 400).

Figure 4

Diffuse, strong immunohistochemical staining for CD34 of the spindle-cell component.