title: Liposarcoma of the oropharyngeal region. Review of the literature and report of two cases.
abstract: Liposarcomas of the oropharyngeal regions are exceedingly rare. Their silent, slow growth, submucosal or deep location, circumscription, and firm but resilient texture often suggest a diagnosis of a cyst or benign soft-tissue neoplasm. Two cases of well-differentiated myxoid liposarcoma are presented. The literature of over half a century was reviewed, and all documented cases were critically analyzed. The clinical data correlated with the histopathology and biologic behavior of the tumors indicated that two thirds of all liposarcomas of the head and neck are of the myxoid type. The well-differentiated myxoid liposarcoma was the most common one and has an over-all favorable prognosis. Lipomas of the oropharyngeal regions are relatively common and small, generally not exceeding 2.5 cm. in greatest diamter. A lobulated firm tumor of fast tissue significantly exceeding this size should be strongly suspected of being a liposarcoma.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008080:Liposarcoma / Q000145:classification / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009060:Mouth Floor; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D010610:Pharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*