Radiological, Histopathological and Clinical Features of 4 Different Sarcomas of Maxillofacial Region

Sarcomas are aggressive tumors and classified in two main groups as bone and soft tissue origin. It can occur in any bone, especially in the long bones of the extremities, but sarcomas of the maxillofacial region are rare. While sarcomas of the jaw constitute 5-10% of all sarcoma cases 1 , they constitute less than 1% of malignant tumors observed in the maxillofacial region 2 . Identifying the true incidence of these tumors is relatively difficult due to the rarity of their occurrence and difficulty in diagnosis and classification. Histopathologically having more than 50 subgroups such as osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, malignant fibrous histiocytoma and fibrosarcoma; causing this tumor to show variable histological and radiological features 2,3 . Osteosarcomas are the most common type of sarcomas for head and neck region 4 . Different age ranges have been reported in many studies for jaw sarcomas (JSs), which can be observed in every period of life 2,3,5 . Therefore, it has been considered that age is not a determinative factor in differential diagnosis of this pathology. In addition, aetiological factors have not been fully known especially for sarcomas in maxillofacial region. Exposure to some factors such as ionizated radiation, alkylating agents has been associated with an increased risk of developing bone sarcomas 2,4,6,7 . Because of their highly aggressive nature, effective treatment of jaw sarcomas (JSs) have been possible only with early and accurate diagnosis 2 . Radiological imaging and detailed clinical examination are important factor in early diagnosis of JSs. At this point, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Computerized Tomography (CT) and Positron Emission Tomography (PET) are preferred in not only for diagnosis of tumor but also in tumor staging and treatment planning 3 .