The histopathological differential diagnosis of mesenchymal tumours of the skin

In addition to the broad spectrum of epithelial, neuroectodermal and lymphoreticular neoplasms arising in the skin, a wide variety of mesenchymal tumours are characterised by a primary cutaneous presentation.

Benign and malignant mesenchymal tumours represent a heterogeneous and complex group of lesions that are currently classified on a histogenetic basis according to the mature tissues they might resemble. While histomorphological assessment remains the cornerstone of tumour classification, the continuing technical developments in the fields of immunohistochemistry and (cyto)genetics have become increasingly useful in aiding accurate histopathological classification of problematic cases.

It is our aim in this short review to discuss the spectrum of mesenchymal lesions commonly presenting in the skin with special emphasis on the diagnostic dilemmas that a subset of these tumours may present in daily practice.