title: Atypical fibroxanthoma with osteoclast-like giant cells.
abstract: Atypical fibroxanthoma has a wide spectrum of histological appearances. A variant recently described is atypical fibroxanthoma with osteoclast-like giant cells. One case of this rare tumour is described. The tumour arose on the forehead of an 87-year-old woman in the form of a subepidermal nodule. The lesion was incompletely excised and recurred 6 months later without showing any characteristics of aggression. Six months after the second operation the patient was well and showed no signs of tumour recurrence. Immunohistological findings showed a "fibrohistiocytic" profile and were similar to those observed in other lesions rich in osteoclast-like giant cells. Flow cytometry revealed the diploid nature of the primary and the recurrent tumour. Atypical fibroxanthoma with osteoclast-like giant cells is a new variant of atypical fibroxanthoma that must be recognized by pathologists, since it can be confused with other benign and malignant tumours with a high proportion of multinucleate osteoclast-like giant cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University Hospital Marqués de Valdecilla, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cantabria, Santander, Spain.
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Val-Bernal
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Corral
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fernández
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gómez-Bellvert
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005153:Facial Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005546:Forehead / Q000473:pathology*; D015726:Giant Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D018219:Histiocytoma, Benign Fibrous / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000473:pathology; D010010:Osteoclasts / Q000473:pathology*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*