Primary tongue leiomyosarcoma.
Atul Kumar Gupta, Bharti Devnani, Dharma Ram Poonia et al.
✦ AI-curated · Sources linked
Case in brief
A male patient in his mid 50s presented with a non-healing ulcer on the right lateral border of the tongue, accompanied by impaired tongue movement. Histopathological examination confirmed a diagnosis of leiomyosarcoma (LMS) of the tongue. The patient underwent surgical excision, followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy due to the advanced stage and high-grade features. At 8 months post-treatment, he remains disease-free with no signs of recurrence.
What made this case unusual
Tongue leiomyosarcoma is extremely rare, constituting a very small percentage of oral malignancies, making this case noteworthy.
Diagnostic / clinical pearl
Clinicians should consider leiomyosarcoma in the differential diagnosis of non-healing oral ulcers, especially when accompanied by functional impairment.
Why it matters
This case underscores the necessity of a multi-disciplinary approach in managing rare malignancies like tongue LMS, integrating both surgical and systemic therapies.