[Extranodal follicular dendritic cell sarcoma of the tonsils]

Follicular dendritic cell (FDC) sarcoma is a rare tumor deriving from dendritic cells of the lymphoid follicle. Only a few cases of extranodal manifestation of FDC sarcoma of the head and neck have been reported. We describe the case of a 47-year-old woman with a FDC sarcoma of the left tonsil that first manifested 11 years ago. She has suffered three recurrences since this time, at continually reducing intervals. Histologically, the neoplasm consisted of an increased number of spindle-shaped cells with partly hyperchromatic nuclei. The patient underwent local tumor excisions, and then received an adjuvant chemotherapy with doxorubicin and ifosfamide when she presented with the third recurrence. The 11 year follow-up bears out a more aggressive behaviour of FDC sarcoma than first assumed. Therefore, a wide local excision, eventually combined with neck dissection in the case of recurrences, seems to be necessary.