Primary sclerosing epithelioid fibrosarcoma presenting as lombosciatic syndrome: Case report and literature review

Abstract

Introduction and importance: Sclerosing epithelioid fibrosarcoma (SEF) is a rare variant of low grade fibrosarcoma, with specific histological and immunohistochemical features. SEF is a difficult to diagnose. The prognosis is poor with a 40% mortality rate.

Case presentation: We report a case of 45-year-old female patient who presented to our department with a history of right sciatalgia evolving for three months. On physical examination, a firmly not well-defined mass was found in the right gluteal region. The histological diagnosis revealed a SEF.

Clinical discussion: SEF appears to be a slowly growing tumor often present for several months or years before diagnosis. The 3-month delay of our diagnosis shows the difficulty arising from the inconclusive clinical of this tumor.

Conclusion: SEF of the gluteal region can induce sciatalgia. The diagnosis should be made as early as possible in order to improve the prognosis.

Keywords: Gluteal region; Metastasis-soft tissues; Sarcoma; Sclerosing epithelioid fibrosarcoma.