Monophasic epithelial synovial sarcoma arising in the temporomandibular joint

Synovial sarcoma is a mesenchymal spindle-cell tumour that occurs infrequently in the head and neck. It originates from unknown stem cells differentiating into mesenchymal and/or epithelial structures. Most synovial sarcomas are biphasic in character, consisting of epithelial and spindle-cell elements. Here is reported a case of monophasic epithelial synovial sarcoma arising in the temporomandibular joint. The tumour was of a predominantly epithelial pattern, although a minute area of sarcomatous cells was found. The primary mode of treatment was wide en-bloc excision. Two years after surgery, the patient died of hepatocelluar carcinoma, but there was no evidence of synovial sarcoma recurrence.