Spindle cell rhabdomyosarcoma of the anterior mandible manifesting as a periapical lesion of pulpal origin: Case report

Abstract

A 25-year-old male patient presented with swelling and pain in the mandibular anterior region for the previous 6 months. He had a history of repeated traumatic episodes associated with his lower incisors. A periapical radiograph revealed a radiolucent lesion involving the apices of the lower incisors, whereas cone beam computed tomography revealed a large osteolytic lesion involving all mandibular incisors and loss of labial and lingual cortical plates. Histological, immunohistochemical and bone scan examination of the curetted tissue established a differential diagnosis of spindle cell rhabdomyosarcoma of the anterior mandible. Such rare but life-threatening oral cancers can be correctly diagnosed and treated only through systematic analysis of clinical findings and examining the diseased tissue with histological and other diagnostic procedures.