Pleomorphic dermal sarcoma: it might be rare but it exists

Konstantinos Seretis; Antonios Klaroudas; Vasiliki Galani; Georgios Papathanakos; Anna Varouktsi; Antigoni Mitselou; Anna Batistatou; Evangeli Lampri

doi:10.1093/jscr/rjad374

Pleomorphic dermal sarcoma: it might be rare but it exists

J Surg Case Rep. 2023 Aug 4;2023(8):rjad374. doi: 10.1093/jscr/rjad374. eCollection 2023 Aug.

Authors

Konstantinos Seretis¹, Antonios Klaroudas², Vasiliki Galani², Georgios Papathanakos³, Anna Varouktsi⁴, Antigoni Mitselou⁵, Anna Batistatou⁶, Evangeli Lampri⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Plastic Surgery, Medical School University of Ioannina, Greece.
² Department of Anatomy-Histology-Embryology, School of Medicine University of Ioannina, Greece.
³ Intensive Care Unit, University Hospital of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece.
⁴ Department of Internal Medicine, Ippokrateio Hospital, Thessalonνki, Greece.
⁵ Department of Forensic Pathology, Medical School University of Ioannina, Greece.
⁶ Department of Pathology, Medical School University of Ioannina, Greece.

Abstract

Pleomorphic dermal sarcoma (PDS) is a rare mesenchymal tissue tumor. Its differential diagnosis from similar tumors, such as low differentiated squamous cell carcinoma, fibrosarcoma, desmoplastic melanoma, atypical fibroxanthoma (AFX), may be difficult, as they have similar clinical and histological presentation. We present a case of an 83-year-old man exhibiting an exophytic scalp lesion. Excision of the lesion was performed, ensuring clear surgical margins and pathologic examination revealed an invasive pleomorphic dermal sarcoma. This case highlights a rare case of a large pleomorphic dermal sarcoma, and it discusses the histological, molecular features, its differential diagnosis and management of PDS.

Keywords: dermal pleomorphic sarcoma; fibroxanthoma; skin tumor.

Publication types

Case Reports