Liposarcomas of the oral tissues: a clinicopathologic study of four tumors

Liposarcomas of the oral tissues are rare. There have been 28 previously reported in the literature. A clinicopathologic study of 4 patients with liposarcoma involving the oral tissues is presented--one in the tongue, one in the palate, and two in the submandibular space. Two of the tumors were myxoid, one was of well-differentiated type and one was of pleomorphic type. Three of the lesions were diagnosed clinically as benign. The most important lesson to be learned from the histopathology is the positive identification of atypical lipoblasts. Follow-up data indicate that prognosis generally corresponds to the tumor type. The patients with myxoid and well-differentiated liposarcoma remain alive and with no evidence of disease. The patient who died of tumor had a pleomorphic liposarcoma. Treatment of these lesions should consist of wide surgical excision and consideration of adjunctive or palliative radiotherapy.