Sarcomas and sarcomatoid tumor after radiotherapy of oral squamous cell carcinoma: analysis of 4 cases

Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod. 2008 Jan;105(1):65-71. doi: 10.1016/j.tripleo.2007.01.035. Epub 2007 May 15.

Abstract

Radiation-induced sarcoma (RIS) or postirradiation sarcoma has been reported rarely as a long-term complication of radiation therapy (RT). We report 4 cases of oral sarcomas or sarcomatoid tumors with a rather short latency period after radiotherapy of the prior OSCC. Histopathological evaluation and immunohistochemical study were performed using a panel of markers including vimentin, cytokeratin, S-100, desmin, myoglobin, HHF-35, p53, and p16. All reported cases were positive for vimentin and negative for cytokeratin. Two cases were positive for myoglobin, desmin, or HHF-35, and were probably myogenic origin. One case was possibly a fibrosarcoma and the subclassification of the other one was not specified. Diverse expression of p53 and p16 was further observed in these 4 cases. Report of the complicated clinical processes and the analysis of genetic markers of these cases provide useful clinical and pathogenetic insights of mesenchymal malignancies associated with a status post OSCC radiation.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / pathology
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / radiotherapy*
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Female
  • Genes, p16
  • Genes, p53
  • Gingival Neoplasms / pathology
  • Gingival Neoplasms / radiotherapy
  • Head and Neck Neoplasms / pathology
  • Head and Neck Neoplasms / therapy
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Mouth Neoplasms / complications
  • Mouth Neoplasms / pathology
  • Mouth Neoplasms / radiotherapy*
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / pathology
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / therapy
  • Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced / pathology*
  • Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced / therapy
  • Palatal Neoplasms / pathology
  • Palatal Neoplasms / radiotherapy
  • Sarcoma / pathology*
  • Sarcoma / therapy
  • Tongue Neoplasms / pathology
  • Tongue Neoplasms / radiotherapy