PALISADING CUTANEOUS FIBROUS HISTIOCYTOMA - AN IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL STUDY DEMONSTRATING DIFFERENTIATION FROM DERMAL DENDROCYTES

The palisading cutaneous fibrous histiocytoma is a unique benign spind le cell tumor that often occurs in an acral location. Histologic findi ngs feature nuclear palisading reminiscent of a schwannoma. Previous s tudies have suggested that this tumor may be a variant of a dermatofib roma. We performed immunohistochemical staining with a panel of antibo dies including neurofilament, S100 protein, factor XIIIa, epithelial m embrane antigen, Leu-7, desmin, and vimentin. We found positive staini ng with factor XIIIa and vimentin, suggesting connective tissue differ entiation for this tumor.