Dermatofibrosarcoma Protuberans Medication

  • Author: from Memorial Sloan-Kettering - Chih-Shan Jason Chen, MD, PhD; Chief Editor: Dirk M Elston, MD   more...
 
Updated: Jul 23, 2010
 

Medication Summary

Although medical therapy is not a first-line treatment for localized dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP), the approved molecular-targeted drug, imatinib mesylate, is an effective oral medication for unresectable, recurrent, and/or metastatic DFSP.

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Molecular-targeted therapy

Class Summary

Before starting imatinib therapy, cytogenetic studies to confirm PDGFB gene rearrangement may be necessary for predicting the clinical response. Chromosome translocation t(17,22) is detected in more than 90% of DFSP tumors.

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Imatinib mesylate (Gleevec)

 

Inhibitor of receptor tyrosine kinase for PDGF. Inhibits PDGF-B receptor-mediated cellular events, the key pathogenetic pathway in DFSP.

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Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

from Memorial Sloan-Kettering - Chih-Shan Jason Chen, MD, PhD  Associate Attending, Dermatology Service, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center; Director, Dermatologic Surgery and Mohs Micrographic Surgery Unit, MSK Skin Cancer Center; Chief, Dermatologic Surgery, Northport Veterans Affairs Medical Center

from Memorial Sloan-Kettering - Chih-Shan Jason Chen, MD, PhD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology, American College of Mohs Micrographic Surgery and Cutaneous Oncology, American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, Association of Professors of Dermatology, and Society for Investigative Dermatology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Daniel Mark Siegel, MD, MS  Director, Procedural Dermatology Fellowship Program, Clinical Professor of Dermatology, Department of Dermatology, State University of New York Downstate

Daniel Mark Siegel, MD, MS is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology, American College of Mohs Micrographic Surgery and Cutaneous Oncology, American College of Physician Executives, American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, American Society for MOHS Surgery, and International Society for Dermatologic Surgery

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Abdul-Ghani Kibbi, MD  Professor and Chair, Department of Dermatology, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Lebanon

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Michael J Wells, MD  Associate Professor, Department of Dermatology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Paul L Foster School of Medicine

Michael J Wells, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Dermatology, American Medical Association, and Texas Medical Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

John G Albertini, MD  Consulting Staff, Dermatologic Surgery, The Skin Surgery Center; Program Director, ACGME Accredited Fellowship in Procedural Dermatology

John G Albertini, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology and American College of Mohs Micrographic Surgery and Cutaneous Oncology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Catherine M Quirk, MD  Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania

Catherine M Quirk, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha and American Academy of Dermatology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Dirk M Elston, MD  Director, Ackerman Academy of Dermatopathology, New York

Dirk M Elston, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Additional Contributors

The authors and editors of eMedicine gratefully acknowledge the contributions of previous Chief Editor, William D. James, MD, to the development and writing of this article.

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Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans manifesting as an irregular red-to-violaceous plaque on the chest.
Closer view of dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans. It has an irregular surface and borders with palpable dermal and subcutaneous induration.
A large dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans is seen on the abdomen. It has an appearance of atrophic plaque, while foci of nodularity also can be seen.
Bednar tumor, a pigmented variant of dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans, contains melanin-rich dendritic cells scattered among neoplastic spindle-shaped cells.
A featureless reddish brown plaque on the arm of a white female. Another example of Bednar tumor.
Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) tumor cells take over the dermis and subcutaneous adipose tissue and then approach the fascia plane. The tumor nodule manifests with high cellularity. Under histopathologic examination, these DFSP tumor cells are spindle shaped. They tend to grow in a storiform pattern in the center portion of the tumor. They may also grow in a diffuse infiltrative pattern at the periphery, forming a honeycomb pattern. Often, no defined border can be recognized between the tumor and normal tissue.
Higher-power view of dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans reveals subcutaneous adipocytes entrapped by densely infiltrative spindle-shaped tumor cells.
DFSP demonstrates strong CD34 staining with immunohistochemistry.
 
 
 
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