Sarcomas of the head and neck

Sarcomas of the head and neck are extremely rare, accounting for less than 1% of all neoplasms of the head and neck. These sarcomas arise in both soft tissues and bone and thus cannot be treated by a single approach. The clinical behavior of these tumors varies considerably. Patients with low-grade lesions are prone to local recurrence, whereas those with high-grade lesions develop both local recurrence and disseminated disease. An additional complicating factor is the multiple sites in which sarcomas may arise in the head and neck. All of these factors make it difficult to ascertain the optimal treatment approach for sarcomas. This article reviews the current literature (as well as the author's own experience) and provides a general treatment guideline for sarcomas of the head and neck.