Synovial sarcomas (SS) are high-grade soft-tissue sarcomas, predominantly found in the deep soft tissues of the lower extremities, with only 3-5% occurring in the head and neck region. Primary SS of the infratemporal fossa (ITF) is exceptionally uncommon. The present study reports the case of a 23-year-old female with an SS arising in the ITF. To the best of our knowledge, this case is only the second patient with intracranial involvement recorded in the literature. The patient was treated primarily with surgery, followed by a total of 60 Gy adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy, consisting of cisplatin (25 mg/m2 intravenously on days one to three), epirubicin (25 mg/m2 intravenously on days one and two) and ifosfamide (1.8 g/m2 intravenously on days one to five) for three cycles. At present, two years after this multimodal therapy, the patient exhibits no signs of loco-regional recurrence or distant metastases. This study highlights the importance of a multidisciplinary approach in the diagnosis and treatment of this extremely rare entity with intracranial extension. In addition, the study reviews the English literature with regard to SS of ITF and discusses the clinicopathological features, management and outcome.
Keywords: infratemporal fossa; synovial sarcoma.