Primary tongue leiomyosarcoma

Leiomyosarcomas (LMS) are malignant tumours of smooth muscle origin, accounting for about 7% of all soft tissue sarcomas. Head and neck LMS constitute less than 3% of all LMS. Intra-oral LMS are rare, making up only 0.01%–0.04% of all malignancies in the oral cavity. Tongue involvement is even rarer with very few case reports available.

The present case is of a male patient in his mid 50s with a 1-year history of a non-healing ulcer over the right lateral border of the tongue with impaired tongue movement who was diagnosed with LMS of the tongue on histopathological examination. He was treated with surgical excision followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy in view of advanced stage and high-grade features. At the 8-month follow-up, the patient remains disease free without evidence of recurrence or metastasis. This case highlights the importance of multi-disciplinary management of this entity with judicial use of systemic as well as local treatment modalities.