Primary superficial Ewing sarcoma: A unique entity? A case report including novel findings of ELF3 and TNFRSF14 copy number loss

J Cutan Pathol. 2020 Oct;47(10):970-975. doi: 10.1111/cup.13762. Epub 2020 Jul 5.

Abstract

Primary superficial Ewing sarcoma (psES) cases are exceedingly rare, with fewer than 150 cases reported in the literature. Small case series have suggested differences between psES and Ewing sarcoma (ES) of bone or deep soft tissues: psES appears to have a more indolent course and a higher 5-year overall survival rate. PsES is more common in older adolescent females as opposed to younger males in their peak growth velocity years in bone or deep soft tissue ES. We present a case report of a 17-year-old female with a relatively static nodule on her left thigh for 4 years. Morphologic, immunohistochemical, and molecular evaluations confirmed ES. Patient underwent a gross-total resection and a shortened course of adjuvant chemotherapy without radiation. Cancer gene panel testing found three gene abnormalities (in addition to EWSR1-FLI1 fusion): CCND1 copy number gain, ELF3 copy number loss, and TNFRSF14 copy number loss. To our knowledge, this is the first published case report of psES to include genomic sequencing and the first to report ELF3 and TNFRSF14 abnormalities in ES. Larger series of psES cases with genomic profiling are needed to elucidate a possible genetic etiology for its more indolent clinical course and favorable outcomes.

Keywords: CCND1; ELF3; TNFRSF14; cutaneous Ewing sarcoma; pediatric sarcoma; superficial Ewing sarcoma.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Chemotherapy, Adjuvant / methods
  • Cyclin D1 / genetics
  • DNA Copy Number Variations
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry / methods
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods
  • Proto-Oncogene Protein c-fli-1 / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ets / genetics*
  • RNA-Binding Protein EWS / genetics
  • Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Member 14 / genetics*
  • Sarcoma, Ewing / diagnosis*
  • Sarcoma, Ewing / drug therapy
  • Sarcoma, Ewing / genetics*
  • Sarcoma, Ewing / surgery
  • Skin Neoplasms / pathology
  • Transcription Factors / genetics*
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color / methods

Substances

  • CCND1 protein, human
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • ELF3 protein, human
  • EWSR1 protein, human
  • FLI1 protein, human
  • Proto-Oncogene Protein c-fli-1
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ets
  • RNA-Binding Protein EWS
  • Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Member 14
  • TNFRSF14 protein, human
  • Transcription Factors
  • Cyclin D1