[Fibrosarcoma in children and adolescents: different entities for the same name]

Fibrosarcomas (FS) are rare malignant tumors in pediatrics, classified in the heterogeneous non-rhabdomyosarcomas group of malignant mesenchymal tumors. Infantile FS are found typically in children less than 2 years of age, and include congenital FS usually occurring in infants in the first 3 months of life. Histological diagnosis can be difficult; and confirmed with detection by molecular biology of the ETV6-NTRK3 fusion protein. FS is most often a localized disease at diagnosis, with involvement of an extremity. The management of these patients must be multidisciplinary, to define the different phases of treatment and avoid mutilating surgery. Cellular or atypical mesoblastic nephroma (MN) is a subtype of malignant pediatric renal tumors, most often present in children of less than 3 months. Histopathological characteristics of the cellular MN are very close to the congenital FS due to a fusion transcript common to both diseases. Treatment schedule is defined by initial local stage of the disease. FS called "adult-type" found exceptionally in childhood occur most often after 10 years old. Adult FS differ from infantile FS in their clinical presentation because of a strong local aggressiveness and problematic appearance of metastasis in 50% of cases, sometimes late. These three diseases present therefore histological similarities. Both have a common name but different clinical presentation and outcome: infantile FS and adult FS. Two have different names and initial location but similar histology, chromosomal rearrangement, sensitivity to chemotherapy and outcome: the congenital FS and cellular mesoblatic nephroma. Authors present a review of the literature of these entities.