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Dermatofibrosarcoma Protuberans
What is dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans?
Dermatofibrosarcoma (dur-mah-toe-fy-bro-sar-KO-ma) protuberans (pro-TOO-bur-anz)—DFSP—is a rare type of cancer that occurs in the skin. In particular, DFSP develops in the dermis, which is our second layer of skin.
What does DFSP do to a person's body?
DFSP causes growths in the skin that eventually grow into bulging masses that may become tender and bleed. The most common locations are the trunk, the arms and legs, and the head and neck. Unlike many other types of cancer, DFSP rarely spreads to other parts of the body. However, it may grow very aggressively in the skin.
How common is DFSP?
DFSP is exceedingly rare. It develops in only about one of every 10 million people a year. It typically affects people in their 20s, 30s, and 40s. Men and women are equally affected.
What causes DFSP?
The cause is unknown, but DFSP appears to arise from a rearrangement of a person's genes. Researchers have found that people with DFSP have a change in their genes that causes their bodies to make a protein called a kinase (KY-nase), which promotes the growth of DFSP.
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