Alveolar soft-part sarcoma of the tongue: report of a case and review of the literature

Alveolar soft part sarcoma (ASPS) accounts for less than 1% of all sarcomas. More frequently encountered within the lower limbs, the authors present a 24-year-old male with ASPS presenting as an asymptomatic swelling of the lateral tongue. At 12 months post wide local excision of the lesion, the patient remains well with no evidence of local or regional recurrence. Histological and immunohistochemical features are diagnostic of ASPS. Whilst rare, head and neck surgeons should be aware of ASPS as a potential cause of slow growing lesions, as early surgical resection is vital in view of the propensity for metastatic spread.