Synovial sarcoma of the hand-wrist: a case report and review of the literature

J Med Case Rep. 2021 Jan 17;15(1):12. doi: 10.1186/s13256-020-02613-4.

Abstract

Background: Synovial sarcomas are infrequent malignant tumors occurring mostly in adolescents and young adults. The occurrence of synovial sarcoma in the hand-wrist area is rare (4 to 8.5% of all synovial sarcomas in different studies).

Case presentation: This report documents an uncommon case of synovial sarcoma occurring in the hand-wrist of a 69-year-old Caucasian woman. She was subsequently treated with surgical excision and radiotherapy without recurrence after follow up.

Conclusions: This paper aims to characterize the demographic, pathologic, and clinical features with a literature review. The present literature review confirms that hand-wrist synovial sarcomas are more frequent among males and subjects 10 to 40 years old. Most cases in this location are usually not larger than 5 cm in size. The five-year survival rate is higher than that reported in a previous review on hand synovial sarcomas, and this suggests an improved survival in recent decades.

Keywords: Case report; Hand; Survival; Synovial sarcoma; Wrist.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Diagnostic Errors
  • Female
  • Ganglion Cysts / diagnosis
  • Hand*
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins / genetics
  • Radiotherapy, Adjuvant
  • Reoperation
  • Repressor Proteins / genetics
  • Sarcoma, Synovial / diagnosis*
  • Sarcoma, Synovial / genetics
  • Sarcoma, Synovial / pathology
  • Sarcoma, Synovial / surgery
  • Soft Tissue Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Soft Tissue Neoplasms / genetics
  • Soft Tissue Neoplasms / pathology
  • Soft Tissue Neoplasms / surgery
  • Wrist*

Substances

  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins
  • Repressor Proteins
  • SS18 protein, human