Abstract:

Aim: Soft tissue sarcomas are usually seen in the extremities or the retroperitoneum, and are seen in the head and neck region in 5-10% of patients. Soft tissue sarcomas account for <1% of head and neck cancers. We retrospectively reviewed the patients with head and neck localized soft tissue sarcoma treated in our study. Material and Methods: In the oncology clinic; Patients over the age of 18 who received treatment for soft tissue sarcoma localized in the head and neck were included. Patients younger than 18 years of age with bone sarcomas were not included in the study. The patient files between January 2000 and December 2020 were examined and the patients eligible for the study were included and analyzed. Results: 21 patients were included in our study. 12 patients (57%) were female and nine patients (43%) were male. The mean age of the patients was 53.8 (18-88). Eight patients (38%) spindle cell sarcoma (not subtyped), five patients (23.8%) angiosarcoma, one patient (4.7%) epithelioid malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor, one patient (4.7%) interdigiting reticulum cell sarcoma, one patient (4.7% dermatofibrosarcoma), one patient (4.7%) malignant fibrous histiocytoma, one patient (4.7%) synovial sarcoma, one patient (4.7%) leiomyosarcoma, one patient (4.7%) 4.7) had dendritic cell sarcoma and one (4.7%) patient had ameloblastic fibrosarcoma histology. 11 patients (52%) had local, six (28.5%) locally advanced disease, and four (19%) had metastatic disease. disease relapsed in nine patients (42.8%). Local recurrence occurred in four patients (19%), and distant metastases occurred in five patients. The median time for disease recurrence was 11 (3 – 18) months. The median overall survival was 41 months (5-217). Conclusion: Head and neck soft tissue sarcomas are a rare malignancy with a poor prognosis and an incomplete staging. Its treatment is mainly surgical. Adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy are not fully agreed upon treatments.

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