PRIMARY ANGIOSARCOMA OF THE POSTERIOR MAXILLA

Abstract

Primary angiosarcomas of the oral cavity are uncommon. An otherwise healthy 61-year-old male patient was referred for evaluation of an asymptomatic, reddish, and irregular ulcer in the upper posterior alveolar ridge with 2 months of duration. Panoramic radiograph revealed an ill-defined radiolucent lesion in the right maxillary tuberosity. Incisional biopsy was performed, and microscopic evaluation revealed proliferation of clustered large, epithelioid to spindle-shaped tumor cells in a markedly hemorrhagic background. Tumor cells were positive for CD31 and CD34 and negative for AE1/AE3 and desmin. The Ki-67 labeling index was 40%. The final diagnosis was angiosarcoma of the posterior maxilla. The patient's clinical checkup ruled out involvement of any other distant organ, confirming primary origin from the maxilla. Unfortunately, the patient died 1 month after the diagnosis. Oral primary angiosarcoma is an uncommon aggressive tumor of distinct morphology; the final diagnosis should be confirmed by evidence of positivity of endothelial immunohistochemical markers. Primary angiosarcomas of the oral cavity are uncommon. An otherwise healthy 61-year-old male patient was referred for evaluation of an asymptomatic, reddish, and irregular ulcer in the upper posterior alveolar ridge with 2 months of duration. Panoramic radiograph revealed an ill-defined radiolucent lesion in the right maxillary tuberosity. Incisional biopsy was performed, and microscopic evaluation revealed proliferation of clustered large, epithelioid to spindle-shaped tumor cells in a markedly hemorrhagic background. Tumor cells were positive for CD31 and CD34 and negative for AE1/AE3 and desmin. The Ki-67 labeling index was 40%. The final diagnosis was angiosarcoma of the posterior maxilla. The patient's clinical checkup ruled out involvement of any other distant organ, confirming primary origin from the maxilla. Unfortunately, the patient died 1 month after the diagnosis. Oral primary angiosarcoma is an uncommon aggressive tumor of distinct morphology; the final diagnosis should be confirmed by evidence of positivity of endothelial immunohistochemical markers.