Liposarcoma is divided into myxoid, pleomorphic, well-differentiated, and dedifferentiated subtypes. Dedifferentiated liposarcoma displays the greatest histomorphologic diversity, including a subset with myofibroblastic differentiation that shares similarities with a spectrum of reactive, benign, and malignant soft tissue lesions. Misdiagnosis may lead to deleterious consequences, as dedifferentiated liposarcoma differs significantly in its prognosis and treatment from its mimics.
To review the clinicopathologic, immunohistochemical, and molecular features of the myofibroblastic variant of dedifferentiated liposarcoma as well as the key distinguishing features from its mimics.
Review of pertinent literature on major features and current understanding of dedifferentiated liposarcoma with myofibroblastic differentiation.
The myofibroblastic variant of dedifferentiated liposarcoma is an uncommon and underrecognized sarcoma with several important differential diagnoses, and likely represents the major subset of aggressive retroperitoneal tumors that may have been misdiagnosed as desmoid-type fibromatosis, inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor, or another type of sarcoma in the past.