title: Radiation-induced leiomyosarcoma of the posterior neck region.
abstract: Leiomyosarcomas are mesenchymal malignant tumours that appear in smooth muscle cells. Their most frequent locations are the uterus and gastrointestinal tract. Their occurrence in head and neck is considered exceptional. We present a patient with a posterior neck region leiomyosarcoma who had received radiation for a nasopharyngeal carcinoma 20 years earlier. The incidence ratio of these tumours in radiated patients (therefore considered radiation-induced) ranges from 0,035 to 0,2%. Radiation-induced sarcomas are difficult to diagnose due to the induration and fibrosis in the radiated area and the non-specific symptoms that they present. Their prognosis is very poor.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Otorrinolaringología, Hospital de Nuestra Señora de Sonsoles, Ávila, España. pabmaransantos@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Santos Gorjón
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gil Melcón
authors.forename: Angel M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Muñoz Herrera
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Franco Calvo
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D007890:Leiomyosarcoma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D009381:Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced / Q000175:diagnosis*