The Role of Radical Radiotherapy in Sinonasal Myopericytoma: A Case Report and Literature Overview

Abstract

Myopericytoma (previously defined haemangiopericytoma) is a rare vascular tumour originating from extracapillary cells called pericytes and rarely occurs in paranasal sinuses. Surgical wide resection is the treatment of choice. Post-operative radiotherapy is usually used in the case of incomplete resection. The current study reports a case of a 38-year-old male with an extended maxillary sinus myopericytoma, who developed an early bulky recurrence 3 months after surgical excision. The relapse was treated using salvage radiation therapy with radical purpose. Radiotherapy was completed 52 months ago, at the time of writing, and the patient is alive and disease-free. Although literature data report radioresistance as an important obstacle for management of this tumour, it could be important to start considering myopericytoma as a heterogeneous entity, with different underlying molecular mechanisms, growth kinetics, and response to treatments. High-dose ‘modern radiotherapy’ with radical purpose represents a reliable treatment strategy in cases with no surgical option. Furthermore, given the paucity of data available in the literature regarding this clinical setting, the authors conducted an overview on the topic.