Abstract
Whereas head and neck squamous cell carcinoma is primarily a disease of middle age and older adults, malignant mesenchymal tumors (sarcomas) are more commonly seen in infants to young adults. The breadth of mesenchymal and lymphoid tumors is at least as that wide as among the epithelial tumors. In many respects, this is a more difficult group of lesions to study. The relative rarity of the sarcomas necessitates retrospective collection of cases over long periods of time (during which diagnostic approaches and treatment options may have undergone dramatic changes), or multi-institution prospective studies. This chapter will review the more common mesenchymal and lymphoid neoplasms affecting the head and neck. We will begin with matrix-producing tumors, i.e., those that make bone or cartilage, then turn to skeletal muscle tumors (rhabdomyosarcoma), a common pediatric tumor frequently involving head and neck sites. From there we will survey the remaining spectrum of malignant soft tissue tumors. Finally, we turn to the lymphomas, where newer molecular techniques play a vital role, not only in our theoretic understanding of disease pathogenesis, but in the classification and treatment of this group of tumors.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | Head & Neck Cancer: Current Perspectives, Advances, and Challenges |
Publisher | Springer Netherlands |
Pages | 289-311 |
Number of pages | 23 |
ISBN (Electronic) | 9789400758278 |
ISBN (Print) | 940075826X, 9789400758261 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 1 Jul 2013 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Head and neck cancer • Osteosarcoma • Chondrosarcoma •Rhabdomyosarcoma • Lymphoma