Early-onset postirradiation sarcoma of the head and neck: report of three cases

Postirradiation sarcomas of the head and neck are rare. When they do occur, most appear at least 10 years following radiation therapy. We report three cases of early-onset (1, 2, and 7 yr) postirradiation sarcoma. Physicians who care for previously irradiated patients should consider the possibility of a postirradiation sarcoma whenever they see a suspicious lesion, regardless of the amount of time that has passed since radiation therapy was administered. The original pathology should be reexamined to ensure that the original tumor was diagnosed correctly. Electron microscopy can be useful in differentiating sarcomatous-appearing epithelial lesions from true soft-tissue sarcomas, and thus can be helpful in guiding therapy.