An adult spindle cell rhabdomyosarcoma in the head and neck region with long-term survival: a case report

Please always quote using this URN: urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-110362
  • Introduction Spindle cell rhabdomyosarcoma of the head and neck is a very rare tumor in adults. We report on one case with long-term survival. Case presentation A 41-year-old nonsmoking Caucasian man presented in June 2007 with a painless swelling under his tongue. A diagnosis of a soft tissue sarcoma, and a myofibrosarcoma in particular, was made via biopsy. After multimodal treatment, including local and systemic therapy, our patient remained disease-free until September 2010. The local recurrence was treated unsuccessfully withIntroduction Spindle cell rhabdomyosarcoma of the head and neck is a very rare tumor in adults. We report on one case with long-term survival. Case presentation A 41-year-old nonsmoking Caucasian man presented in June 2007 with a painless swelling under his tongue. A diagnosis of a soft tissue sarcoma, and a myofibrosarcoma in particular, was made via biopsy. After multimodal treatment, including local and systemic therapy, our patient remained disease-free until September 2010. The local recurrence was treated unsuccessfully with various chemotherapy regimens. In September 2011, our patient underwent surgical resection again, and a spindle cell rhabdomyosarcoma was diagnosed. To analyze the mismatch between the original diagnosis of a myofibrosarcoma and the second diagnosis, the two specimens were reassessed, and a final diagnosis of a spindle cell rhabdomyosarcoma was made. In 2012 and 2013, our patient suffered further recurrences that were surgically treated, and he is still alive with disease six years and 10 months after the initial diagnosis in June 2007. Conclusions In adults, the spindle cell rhabdomyosarcoma tumor is very rare in the head and neck region. In contrast to childhood tumors, spindle cell rhabdomyosarcoma in adulthood is often associated with a poor prognosis. In the present case, the radical surgical treatment might have helped to prolong the patient’s overall survival, which has lasted more than six years. To our knowledge, this is the longest overall survival reported so far for this tumor entity in the head and neck region.show moreshow less

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Metadaten
Author: Stefan Hartmann, Grit Lessner, Thomas Mentzel, Alexander C. Kübler, Urs Müller-Richter
URN:urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-110362
Document Type:Journal article
Faculties:Medizinische Fakultät / Pathologisches Institut
Medizinische Fakultät / Klinik und Poliklinik für Mund-, Kiefer- und Plastische Gesichtschirurgie
Language:English
Year of Completion:2014
Source:In: Journal of Medical Case Reports 2014, 8:208. doi:10.1186/1752-1947-8-208
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1186/1752-1947-8-208
Dewey Decimal Classification:6 Technik, Medizin, angewandte Wissenschaften / 61 Medizin und Gesundheit / 617 Chirurgie und verwandte medizinische Fachrichtungen
Tag:Adult; Head; Rhabdomyosarcoma; Spindle cell; Surgery
Release Date:2015/03/02
Collections:Open-Access-Publikationsfonds / Förderzeitraum 2014
Licence (German):License LogoCC BY: Creative-Commons-Lizenz: Namensnennung