Transparotid excision of rhabdomyosarcoma in masseter muscle: A case report

Although rhabdomyosarcoma is the most common soft-tissue sarcoma of childhood, the rate of incidence is about 5% in adults. We report a case of adult rhabdomyosarcoma in masseter muscle. A 40-year-old man referred to our department complaining of swelling in his left buccal region in November 2009. At the time of the first medical examination, a painless mass of about 50 mm × 45 mm in size was observed in his left buccal region. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a well-bordered mass within the left masseter muscle. It was considered as a left buccal tumor. The tumor was excised under general anesthesia in January 2010. Because the tumor was enveloped in the left masseter muscle, it was resected with surrounding normal muscle tissue by transparotid approach. As the final histopathological diagnosis was pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma, postoperative radio and chemotherapy was given. About 3 years after the treatment, no evidence of recurrence or metastasis was observed.