Synovial sarcoma of the oral cavity: Report of 4 cases and review of the literature

Abstract

Synovial sarcoma is a rare and high-grade soft tissue tumour that rarely affects the head and neck region. Approximately 90% of synovial sarcomas are seen in the extremities. About 5 to 10% occur in the head and neck region with high incidences in the parapharyngeal space and hypopharynx. In the oral cavity, synovial sarcoma has been reported in the buccal mucosa, tongue, floor of the mouth, the retromolar region, hard and soft palates, the gingivobuccal sulcus and the mandible. In this paper, we report 4 very rare cases of monophasic synovial sarcoma of the oral cavity and highlight the need for proper diagnosis and treatment plan in the cases of synovial sarcoma. So far, around 250 cases of synovial sarcoma of head and neck have been reported in the literature. In India, on extensive literature search we could retrieve 18 cases of synovial sarcoma involving the head and neck region, of these 11 cases of primary synovial sarcoma involving the oral cavity have been reported previously. To our knowledge, this is the first series of primary synovial sarcoma of the oral cavity in the Indian literature.