Alveolar soft part sarcoma of the tongue in a 3-year-old boy: a case report

INTRODUCTION: Alveolar soft tissue sarcoma of the tongue is a very rare and aggressive tumor which occurs in infancy with a relatively controversial histogenesis. It may mimic benign vascular neoplasms and may metastasize to the lungs, brain or bones. CASE PRESENTATION: We present the case of a three-year-old Caucasian boy who was admitted to our department with a history of dysphagia and two episodes of oral bleeding which had lasted for a period of six months. A thorough histological examination together with imaging techniques form the basis of a reliable diagnosis. CONCLUSION: Alveolar soft tissue sarcoma of the tongue is a rare tumor which occurs in infancy and which is often misdiagnosed pre-operatively. It should therefore be included in the differential diagnosis of oral pediatric lesions.