Malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the oral soft tissues

Between 1944 and 1984, six patients with a malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the oral soft tissues were treated at the M.D. Anderson Hospital and Tumor Institute. From the time of the first description of this tumor until 1984, another 10 documented cases of malignant fibrous histiocytoma involving the oral soft tissues were reported in the English-language literature. With respect to these 16 patients (including our 6 cases), the clinicopathologic aspects of malignant fibrous histiocytoma, treatment, and survival figures are discussed. The treatment of choice is early and radical surgery, including neck dissection, since in four of the six patients treated at the M.D. Anderson Hospital and Tumor Institute regional lymph node metastases were found. The response to chemotherapy, except for the response of patients with the inflammatory type of malignant fibrous histiocytoma, and radiotherapy is usually poor. The 2-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates respectively, are, 36%, 30%, and 20%.