title: Atypical fibroxanthoma--a retrospective immunohistochemical study of 42 cases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Atypical fibroxanthoma is a cutaneous dermal malignancy that presents on the sun-damaged skin of elderly people. It requires a definitive diagnosis, from a high-grade sarcoma to a nonmesenchymal neoplasm. The recommended treatment protocol differs from similar histologically related tumors; thus, a diagnosis of atypical fibroxanthoma should fulfill strict histologic and immunohistochemical stain criteria. The use of these standards will exclude other skin malignancies, including malignant fibrous histiocytoma, angiosarcoma, malignant melanoma, and squamous cell carcinoma. This study was performed with the aim of identifying key immunostains to develop diagnostic criteria.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-two cases were studied retrospectively over a 10-year period using a panel of immunostains.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average age at presentation was 78 years, with a male predominance. The scalp was found to be the most common site of occurrence, although other investigators have found the forehead, cheeks, nose, and ears as the prevailing sites of presentation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An extensive panel of immunohistochemical stains can be used to prove a diagnosis of atypical fibroxanthoma.
authors.affiliation: Poole Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Poole, Dorset, UK. mantaray51@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mann
authors.forename: Velupillai
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ilankovan
authors.forename: Kudair
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hussein
authors.forename: Corrado
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: D'arrigo
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic / Q000032:analysis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology*; D018219:Histiocytoma, Benign Fibrous / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007633:Keratins / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology*; D014746:Vimentin / Q000032:analysis; D000097382:CD68 Molecule
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic; D007633:Keratins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D014746:Vimentin; C067980:CD68 antigen, human; D000097382:CD68 Molecule