Radiation-induced leiomyosarcoma of the posterior neck region

Leiomyosarcomas are mesenchymal malignant tumours that appear in smooth muscle cells. Their most frequent locations are the uterus and gastrointestinal tract. Their occurrence in head and neck is considered exceptional. We present a patient with a posterior neck region leiomyosarcoma who had received radiation for a nasopharyngeal carcinoma 20 years earlier. The incidence ratio of these tumours in radiated patients (therefore considered radiation-induced) ranges from 0,035 to 0,2%. Radiation-induced sarcomas are difficult to diagnose due to the induration and fibrosis in the radiated area and the non-specific symptoms that they present. Their prognosis is very poor.