Atypical lipomatous tumor/well-differentiated liposarcoma of the gingiva: a case report and review of literature

Abstract

Liposarcoma, first described by Virchow in 1857, is a common mesenchymal malignant tumor arising from the adipose tissue. The most common of all soft tissue sarcomas, liposarcomas account for approximately 20% of all soft tissue sarcomas. However, it is rare in the head and neck, particularly in the oral cavity. Oral liposarcomas have been reported to occur mainly on the buccal mucosa, with other sites including the floor of the mouth, tongue, palate, and mandible. However, almost no cases of a liposarcoma located on the gingiva have been reported. To our knowledge, only 5 cases of liposarcoma of the gingiva have been previously reported in English language studies. We present a rare case of an atypical lipomatous tumor/well-differentiated liposarcoma of the gingiva of the anterior mandible that occurred in a 77-year-old male patient. Our patient underwent surgical excision and alveolar decortication. We also present a review of the current published data. At 18 months of follow-up, the patient remained free of disease.