POSTRADIATION SARCOMA OF HEAD AND NECK - REPORT OF 2 CASES

Aims and background: Post-irradiation sarcoma (PIS) is a rare, late si de effect of radiotherapy and, consequently, its natural history is no t well known. For this reason, two cases treated between 1975 and 1990 are described. Case reports: The Authors describe one case of maligna nt fibrous histiocytoma grown in the larynx 111 months after conservat ive surgery and postoperative radiotherapy, and one case of soft tissu e sarcoma developed in the oral cavity 72 months after radical interst itial low dose rate brachytherapy. Both patients had chronic distress of the soft tissues after the primary treatment. The patients are aliv e and well respectively at 94 and 18 months from salvage surgery. Disc ussion: The PIS of the head and neck region is a rare event, usually w ith a bad prognosis, An improvement in results could be possible with early diagnosis, followed by a timely excision, when anatomically poss ible, As the chronic suffering of the irradiated tissues may increase the risk of PIS, a longer and more frequent follow-up is advisable in these cases.