Spindle Cell Carcinoma of the oral cavity: A case report of a rare entity and review of literature

Abstract

Spindle Cell Carcinoma (SpCC) also known as sarcomatoid carcinoma, is a rare and peculiar biphasic malignant neoplasm that occurs mainly in the upper aerodigestive tract. It is most frequently encountered in the larynx, and also occurs in the nasal cavity, hypopharynx, oral cavities, esophagus, trachea, skin and breast. It is a variant of squamous cell carcinoma which has spindled or pleomorphic tumor cells which simulate a true sarcoma but are epithelial in origin. It consists of sarcomatoid proliferation of pleomorphic spindle cells and squamous cell carcinoma. Spindle cell carcinoma is an unusual aggressive variant of Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC) that frequently recurs and metastasizes, reinforcing the importance of its correct diagnosis.We report a rare case of SpCC, present in unusual locatoion i.e. maxillary alveolar ridge region with immunohistochemical findings as well as review of literature.