Objective: To summarize the clinical characteristics of inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) in head and neck and to discuss its treatment.
Methods: Twenty-seven cases of IMT in head and neck diagnosed at the Chinese PLA General Hospital from 2004 to 2012 were analyzed retrospectively. Among the 27 patients, 12 males and 15 females, age ranged from 8 to 77 years, with a median 43 years old. Treatment included: 1 with radiotherapy, 22 with surgery, 3 with surgery and postoperative radiotherapy, one with concurrent chemoradiotherapy followed by surgery. Of the 27 cases, 5 located in the neck, 6 in the nasal and paranasal sinus, 4 in the temporal bone, 3 in the throat, 2 in the parotid gland, 2 in the lower pharynx, 1 in the mandible, 1 in the maxilla, 1 in the masseter muscle, 1 in the amygdala and 1 in the pharynx nasalis.
Results: Following-up time was 4-85 months, with a median of 26 months. Six cases lost follow-up, 1 case with malignant transformation and died, 16 cases survived with no recurrence, 4 cases relapsed, of whom 2 were alive with tumors and 2 died.
Conclusions: IMT in the head and neck has a tendency to be malignancy, with certain recurrence rate and mortality. Radical excision is still the first choice of treatment for IMT in head and neck.