Nodular fasciitis: a sarcomatous impersonator.
Reports of nodular fasciitis among adults are common; however, this condition is relatively rare in the pediatric population. Its clinical and histologic characteristics are similar to malignancies such as sarcoma; thus, it is prudent for the clinician caring for children and adolescents to be aware of the possibility of its occurrence. Nodular fasciitis is a benign mesenchymal tumor. Often presenting as a rapidly enlarging soft tissue mass, clinically, it can easily be mistaken as a sarcoma or other malignancy during clinical evaluation. In addition, the pathologist may recognize its high cellularity, high mitotic index, and infiltrative borders, which, as a result, may lead to erroneous diagnosis as a malignancy. Although more frequently seen in adults, it does occur in the pediatric population and should be considered during evaluation and treatment of soft tissue masses in children and adolescents.
General Surgery Department, Pediatric Surgery Division, Naval Medical Center San Diego, San Diego, CA 92134-1005, USA. sandra.tomita@med.navy.mil
Sandra
S
Tomita
Keith
K
Thompson
Thomas
T
Carver
W David
WD
Vazquez
D000293:Adolescent; D002466:Cell Nucleolus / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002648:Child; D002843:Chromatin / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004912:Erythrocytes; D005208:Fasciitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005546:Forehead / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008940:Mitotic Index; D018317:Nerve Sheath Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000175:diagnosis; D035441:Thoracic Wall / Q000473:pathology
D002843:Chromatin