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Nodular fasciitis of the tongue
Author(s) -
Celentano Antonio,
Mascolo Massimo,
De Rosa Gaetano,
Mignogna Michele Davide
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
head and neck
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.012
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1097-0347
pISSN - 1043-3074
DOI - 10.1002/hed.24088
Subject(s) - nodular fasciitis , medicine , tongue , malignancy , biopsy , head and neck , fasciitis , nodule (geology) , lesion , pathology , fascia , asymptomatic , subcutaneous tissue , deep fascia , radiology , surgery , paleontology , biology
Abstract Background Nodular fasciitis is a non‐neoplastic proliferation within the subcutaneous tissue and the deep fascia of the fibroblasts, probably of a reactive nature characterized by apparent infiltration of the connective tissues by a mitotically active spindle cell lesion. Nodular fasciitis in the head/neck region is rarely found and only 2 previous cases affecting the tongue have been reported. Methods and Results The purpose of this study was for us to report a very rare case of a 67‐year‐old man with a history of a 3‐month subepithelial asymptomatic nodule of the tongue tip with an ulcerated surface. An excisional biopsy of the mass was performed with 0.5‐mm surgical margins. Conclusion The clinical and histological features of nodular fasciitis may mimic a head and neck malignancy, but it is often misdiagnosed as a malignant mesenchymal neoplasm. Even if it is a rare entity, nodular fasciitis should be considered in cases of rapidly growing masses of the head and neck region. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 38: E29–E31, 2016