To our knowledge, no systematic review of dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) outcomes based on the presence or absence of fibrosarcomatous (FS) change has been performed.

We sought to compare available outcome data for DFSP versus DFSP-FS.

The literature was searched for DFSP and DFSP-FS reports with outcome data (local recurrence, metastasis, or death from disease). Chi-square tests were calculated to determine whether DFSP and DFSP-FS significantly differed in risk of local recurrence, metastasis, and death from disease.

In all, 24 reports containing 1422 patients with DFSP and 225 with DFSP-FS are summarized. Risk of local recurrence, metastasis, and death from disease in DFSP-FS was significantly higher as compared with DFSP (local recurrence 29.8% vs 13.7%, risk ratio 2.2 [95% confidence interval 1.7-2.9]; metastasis 14.4% vs 1.1%, risk ratio 5.5 [95% confidence interval 4.3-7.0]; and death from disease 14.7% vs 0.8%, risk ratio 6.2 [95% confidence interval 5.0-7.8]). There was no significant difference in DFSP-FS outcomes based on proportion of FS change within tumors.

This study is based on previously reported data from different hospitals with no uniform process for reporting FS change. The impact of confounders (age, immune status, tumor location, treatment) could not be evaluated because of limited data.

Based on available retrospective data, risk of metastasis and death is elevated in DFSP-FS as compared with DFSP. Even a low degree of FS involvement portends worse outcomes.