Pure sclerotic neurofibroma: a neurofibroma mimicking sclerotic fibroma.

BACKGROUND

Neurofibroma (NF) is a benign tumor of the nerve sheath. Several variants of NF have been described.

PURPOSE

We report a case of NF with sclerotic changes resembling sclerotic fibroma (SF).

METHODS AND RESULTS

The patient was a 61-year-old man who had an asymptomatic cutaneous lesion on the right scapular region. Physical examination revealed a pedunculated, white-to-pinkish nodule that had a firm consistency, spherical morphology, and smooth surface. Microscopically, the nodule showed a well-circumscribed, nonencapsulated dermal tumor composed of scant cells and thick collagen bundles with prominent clefts. The tumor cells were immunoreactive for vimentin and S100 protein. The patient was diagnosed as having pure sclerotic NF. To our knowledge, only five cases of NF with SF-like pattern have been previously published, and in two this pattern was pure.

CONCLUSION

It is important to recognize this exceptional type of NF because it may be easily confused with SF, as well as with a wide variety of neoplasms or hamartomatous conditions containing similar sclerotic pattern.