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Updated: Aug 30, 2025

Testing Targeted Therapies in Cancer using Structural DNA Alteration Analysis and Patient-Derived Xenografts
Published on: July 25, 2020
Case report: Identification of a novel heterozygous germline ERCC2 mutation in a patient with dermatofibrosarcoma
Qing Zhang1, Yongzhi Ju2,3,4, Xia You2,3,4
1Department of Orthopaedic Oncology, Beijing Ji Shui Tan Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China.
Abstract:
Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) is a kind of soft tissue sarcoma, mostly occurs in the trunk, followed by proximal extremities and head and neck. Surgical resection is the most important treatment for DFSP, but the local recurrence rate of DFSP is high. Except reported specific chromosomal tran7slocations occurred in DFSP, the association between DNA repair gene mutations and DFSP still unknown. In this report we found a 19-year-old boy with DFSP carries a novel heterozygous germline ERCC2 mutation, which belongs to the nucleotide excision repair (NER) pathway and genetic defects in ERCC2 may contribute to the cancer susceptibility xeroderma pigmentosum (XP), Cocaine syndrome (CS), and trichothiodystrophy (TTD). Different mutations of the ERCC2 gene can lead to diverse diseases, but there are no targeted therapies. In summary, our results enlarged the mutation spectrum of the DFSP patients. It also provides new insights into genetic counseling and targeted therapeutic strategies for patients with DFSP.
Insights
A novel germline ERCC2 mutation was identified in a patient with dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP). This finding expands the understanding of DFSP genetic mutations and potential therapeutic targets.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Genetics
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) is a rare soft tissue sarcoma with a high local recurrence rate after surgical resection.
- The genetic basis of DFSP, beyond known chromosomal translocations, remains largely unexplored, particularly the role of DNA repair gene mutations.

