SPINDLE-CELL CARCINOMA OF THE GINGIVA - REPORT OF AN AUTOPSY CASE

An autopsied case of an 80-year-old man with spindle cell carcinoma of the gingiva is reported. The tumor was polypoid and mostly composed o f a sarcomatous proliferation of spindle cells with a small focus of s quamous cell carcinoma at the stalk portion. The carcinoma metastasize d to a cervical lymph node, lungs and pleura with extension to the dia phragm. In the metastatic lymph node, the squamous cell component was more prominent than the spindle cell one, while only anaplastic pleomo rphic carcinoma cells were found in the lungs. The spindle or anaplast ic cells were immunohistochemically positive for vimentin and carcinoe mbryonic antigen (CEA) but not for other epithelial antigens. We have concluded;hat the sarcomatoid component arose from the oral squamous c ell carcinoma by a metaplastic process. This is the first case report of an oral spindle cell carcinoma examined by autopsy.