A Case with Temporal Bone Ewing’s Sarcoma

Abstract

Ewing’s sarcoma, a malignant primary bone tumor typically occurring within the pediatric or adolescent extremities or pelvis, is extremely rare in its primary cranial form. Recent immunohistochemical, molecular, and genetic studies have characterized Ewing’s sarcoma lineage as a primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET). We report a case of primary temporal bone Ewing’s sarcoma. A 19-year-old woman admitted with left temporal swelling was found in open biopsy to have Ewing’s sarcoma as confirmed by immunohistochemistry. The tumor was surgically removed and the wide surgical temporal bone defect was successfully reconstructed with a titanium mesh plate and an anterolateral thigh flap. The woman then underwent chemotherapy. Neither local recurrence nor distant metastasis has been seen in the 32 months since surgery. Adequate surgical resection and chemotherapy are thus vital in managing temporal bone Ewing’s sarcoma. Titanium mesh plates are also useful in reconstructing defect in surgical malignant tumor treatment.