Spindle cell carcinoma arising at the buccal mucosa: a case report and review of the literature

Aims: Spindle cell carcinoma (SPCC) is a subtype of squamous cell carcinoma, and it mainly occurs in the upper aerodigestive duct. On the other hand, it rarely arises in the head and neck region. The prognosis of this tumor is usually poor because of its highly malignant behavior, such as its high incidence of recurrence or metastasis to cervical lymph nodes. However, the number of accumulated cases is still too low to provide the full details of SPCC. Methodology: The case of SPCC was counted by using database, PubMed. The authors also present a case of SPCC arising at the left buccal mucosa in a 72-year-old Japanese female in the current study. Results: Only six cases of SPCC arising at the buccal mucosa have been reported previously. The authors' patient died from a recurrent tumor 15 months after the first operation. Conclusion: The authors have added this case to the previous knowledge of SPCC arising at the buccal mucosa, and discuss the clinical behavior of SPCC to help suggest a standard treatment strategy for the disease.