On Sarcomas of the Mandibular Region

Abstract

Twelve sarcomas of the mandibular region were treated at the Finnish Red Cross Hospital for Plastic Surgery in 1951-1966. Five of them were in the soft tissues, the rest in the mandible. Four developed in a chronic radiation burn and 1 patient had an evident familial predisposition, but the other cases displayed no predisposing factors. All the patients were young with the exception of those with radiogenic sarcoma. The sarcomas generally grew rapidly and emitted scanty symptoms. The commonest and obviously recommendable therapeutic method was radical soft tissue excision and bone resection combined with postoperative radiotherapy. Five patients were alive and asymptomatic after a follow-up period of 10 years; one of the fatalities survived over 5 years, two over 5 years, two over 3 years and one over a year from the establishment of the diagnosis. The great prognostic significance of the radicality of the first operation is emphasised. The methods for reconstruction of the soft tissues and the mandible in these cases are reviewed.