Tongue Spindle Cell Rhabdomyosarcoma: A Rare Case Report and Literature Review

J Maxillofac Oral Surg. 2021 Sep;20(3):464-469. doi: 10.1007/s12663-020-01447-3. Epub 2020 Sep 26.

Abstract

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is a malignant soft tissue neoplasm with its origin in the skeletal muscle and is extremely rare in adults. By the World Health Organization (WHO), a new variant of RMS has been classified, i.e. the spindle cell (Sc) and sclerosing (S) RMS. While the Sc-RMS shows intersecting fascicles of nonpleomorphic spindle cells, the S-RMS is characterized by a marked hyalinization in a pseudovascular growth pattern associated with round-to-spindled tumour cells. According to the analysed data, the Sc/S-RMS variant has a worse outcome than other variants. The new classification of the Sc/S-RMS variant is valuable to the clinical practice. There are not many oral Sc/S-RMS cases reported. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate that an early diagnosis, an adequate treatment and a multidisciplinary approach have a positive effect on the prognosis of the patient. In this study, we analyse a new case of Sc-RMS variant in a young adult with an early diagnosis and a favourable outcome as a result of an appropriated multidisciplinary treatment: early surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatment.

Keywords: Oral cancer; Rhabdomyosarcoma; Sarcoma; Spindle cell rhabdomyosarcoma.

Publication types

  • Case Reports