Intradermal proliferative fasciitis in childhood: a potential diagnostic pitfall.
Proliferative fasciitis (PF) is a pseudosarcomatous proliferation which typically occurs in the subcutaneous tissue and fascia. Although patients are characteristically middle-aged people, occasionally PF can arise in children. Histologically, PF is characterized by a proliferation of large ganglion-like and spindle-shaped cells which, especially in childhood, may exhibit high mitotic activity, but no atypical mitoses. We report a case of PF in the dermis of a 13-year-old boy. This is the first case of PF primarily arising in the dermis. Apart from the unusual site, another intriguing finding was the presence of rare atypical mitoses, a feature which has not been previously emphasized in PF. Awareness that PF may occur in the dermis, exhibiting occasional atypical mitoses, is crucial to avoid a misdiagnosis of malignancy.
Magro
Gaetano
G
Dipartimento G.F. Ingrassia, Policlinico Universitario G. Rodolico, Anatomia Patologica, Università di Catania, Catania, Italy. g.magro@unict.it
Michal
Michal
M
Alaggio
Rita
R
D'Amore
Emanuele
E
D000293:Adolescent; D005208:Fasciitis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*