Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans occurring in a smallpox
vaccination scar.
Green JJ, Heymann WR.
Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, University of Medicine and
Dentistry of New Jersey-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School at Camden.
Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) is a locally aggressive, rarely
metastatic, spindle cell tumor. Trauma has been associated with its development.
Since the 1940s, malignant tumors have been described to occur in sites of
smallpox vaccination scars. Five cases in the literature document DFSP arising
in sites of prior immunizations. We report a case of DFSP occurring in a
smallpox vaccination scar and review the available literature.
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