title: Synovial sarcoma of the neck.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Synovial sarcoma is a soft tissue sarcoma rarely seen in the head and neck. Due to its rarity and morphologic variations, diagnosis is difficult in most cases.
  
  
  METHODS
  A case of synovial sarcoma arising in the upper neck is presented. The detection of the specific chromosomal translocation t(X;18)(p11.2;q11.2) is also described.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A specific chimeric gene, the SSX-SYT fusion gene, was identified in the formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded surgical specimen using the reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Synovial sarcoma contains a characteristic chromosomal translocation, which serves as a useful diagnostic tool. RT-PCR technique has enabled to detect this specific translocation not only in fresh tissues but also in archival paraffin-embedded specimens.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe University Hospital, Kusunoki-cho 7-5-1, Chuo-Ku, Kobe 650-0017, Japan.
authors.forename: Naoki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ochi
authors.forename: Masaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Uozumi
authors.forename: Kiyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Doi
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tanimoto
authors.forename: Chiho
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ohbayashi
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Inagaki
authors.forename: Ken-ichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nibu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013584:Sarcoma, Synovial / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000601:surgery