Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans

Diagnosis

The diagnosis of dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans involves several tests and procedures, such as:

• Skin examination: Symptoms of skin cancer are initially detected during a visual examination of the skin. A healthcare provider will look for any unusual skin changes, growths, or lesions.
• Skin biopsy: This procedure can determine whether cancer cells are present. During a biopsy, a small sample of the affected skin tissue, a portion or all of the tumor is removed for laboratory analysis.
• Imaging tests: If the skin biopsy confirms DFSP, an MRI may be required to find out how deep and how big the tumor is.

Treatment

Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans may involve a combination of treatments to become successful. In most cases, the treatment starts with surgery and may require further therapies to remove the remaining cancer cells.

• Cancer removal surgery: This can increase the likelihood that all cancer cells are eliminated. The procedure involves removing the cancer and some of the surrounding good tissue.
• Mohs surgery: The primary treatment for DFSP is surgical removal, typically carried out through Mohs surgery. This procedure involves numbing the treatment area with a local anesthetic, surgically excising the cancerous tumor along with a small amount of healthy tissue and then examining the tissue edges under a microscope for cancer cells. If cancer cells are found at the margins, more tissue is removed until no cancer cells remain. After ensuring complete removal, reconstructive surgery may be performed.
• Radiation therapy: If surgery is unable to completely eliminate all the cancer, radiation therapy may be required. This employs high-energy beams like X-rays and protons to destroy cancer cells.
• Targeted therapy: Imatinib is often utilized to address metastatic DFSP or tumors that are either too sizable or challenging for surgical removal. It can also reduce the tumor size, facilitating surgical intervention when necessary. Cancer cells in some people with dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans overproduce proteins. Targeted therapy focus on specific substances found in cancer cells. By blocking these substances, targeted drugs induce the death of cancer cells.
• Clinical research: Taking part in a clinical trial dedicated to evaluating new treatments for DFSP can also be a possibility. However, it is essential to discuss this with a healthcare provider, particularly the unknown risks that come with it.