Desmoplastic fibroblastoma (collagenous fibroma) on the mandibular ridge: case report and review of immunohistochemical markers

Abstract

The desmoplastic fibroblastoma (DF) is a rare benign soft-tissue tumor of fibroblastic and myofibroblastic origin, and its occurrence in the oral cavity is rare. This study details a new case of an elevated lesion in the alveolar ridge of a 59-year-old woman, painful during mastication. The histopathological exam showed non-encapsulated stellate-to-spindle cells proliferation in a hypocellular collagen-rich stroma. Tumor cells were strongly and diffusely positive for vimentin, and some cells were focally positive for α-smooth muscle actin, CD99, and β-catenin. The exams were conclusive for DF diagnosis. The patient is in the follow-up period, and no recurrent lesions were detected within one year. Despite having similar clinical, pathological, and immunohistochemical features to the cases previously described, the DF in this report is at an unusual oral site and associated with painful symptomatology. Immunohistochemistry is an important tool in DF cases where the histopathological examination is not conclusive.