Malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the head and neck: a case series

The study objective is to evaluate the clinical features and outcomes of patients treated for head and neck malignant fibrous histiocytoma at a tertiary care medical facility.

This is a retrospective case series of 17 adult subjects with malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the head and neck who were treated between January 1, 1965, and December 31, 2010. This study was conducted using patient charts at a tertiary medical center. Subject selection was conducted using Current Procedural Terminology numbers; International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, codes; and a search of the tumor registry.

Chart review of the 17 identified subjects revealed an overwhelming male predominance (88%) with an overall mean age of 69 years(52-87 years). Thirteen patients (78%) underwent some form of surgical resection, 6 patients (35%) received radiation therapy, and 6 (35%) were given chemotherapy over the course of treatment. Nine tumors (53%) had a cutaneous origin, whereas 8 lesions (47.1%) were found in the soft tissue of the head and neck region. The local recurrence rate following a single resection was 46%. Overall median survival following diagnosis was found to be 65 months, with a 5-year survival rate of 52%. Median disease-free survival was 20 months, with a 5-year disease-free survival rate of 37%. Overall median and 5-year survival rates were found to increase with clear surgical margins, as was 5-year survival.

Aggressive surgical management to achieve clear margins is central to the effective treatment of malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the head and neck. Metastatic disease portends a dismal prognosis.