Liposarcoma of the tongue: case report and review of the literature

BACKGROUND: Liposarcoma most commonly arises in the retroperitoneum and lower extremities. Liposarcoma of the head and neck is rare, with only 12 previously reported cases of liposarcoma in the tongue. CASE PRESENTATION: We present a case of well-differentiated liposarcoma of the tongue occuring in a 39 year old man, treated with surgical excision. At 14 years of follow-up, the patient remains free of disease. CONCLUSION: Liposarcoma of the head and neck is rare, and may easily be misdiagnosed clinically. The diagnosis is made histologically. Clinical behavior is related to histopathologic subtype. Wide surgical excision is the treatment of choice, with limited data to support the use of radiation or chemotherapy. Our case represents the longest follow-up period for a tongue liposarcoma, with 14 years disease-free following surgical extirpation.