Liposarcoma is one of the commonest
soft-tissue sarcomas, but very rare in the oral cavity. We present two cases of
liposarcoma of the oral cavity, together with the related clinical, histopathological and immunohistochemical findings: one affecting the cheek of a 62-year-old man and the other the gingival maxillary tuber of a 41-year-old woman. At histological examination a diagnosis of
liposarcoma was made in both cases. In the first case, immunohistochemical analysis revealed intense positivity for p53, MIB-1, MDM2, and focal positivity for
S100 protein and CD34, but was negative for alpharsmooth muscle actin,
desmin and CD68. The second case it was intensely positive for p53, MIB-1, S-100, and focal positive for MDM2, but negative for alpha smooth muscle actin, CD34, CD68 and
desmin. Histological examination and immunohistochemical profiles in the first case were consistent with
pleomorphic liposarcoma, whilst that in the second case with
dedifferentiated liposarcoma. Both patients were subjected to surgical treatment with wide
surgical margins, without adjuvant radio- or
chemotherapy. The first case was lost at follow-up one year after surgery, while the second case has not undergone relapse after seven years. We discuss differential diagnosis, examining the histopathological and immunohistochemical features that are potentially useful for distinguishing this
tumor from other malignant adipose tissue
tumors.