2009 Volume 55 Issue 7 Pages 350-353
Nodular fasciitis is a pseudosarcomatous reactive lesion of fibroblasts/myofibroblasts. It usually develops in the subcutaneous fascia of the extremities and trunk, but rarely arises in the oral mucosal soft tissue.
We report a case of nodular fasciitis of the tongue in a 34-year-old man. Intraoral examination revealed a 3-mm, elastic, soft nodular tumor of the dorsum of the tongue. Histopathologic examination showed a diffuse, infiltrative proliferation of plump spindle cells in the submucosa. These cells were immunopositive for vimentin, and negative for α-smooth muscle actin, HHF-35, S-100 protein, and CD34. The Ki-67 labeling index was high, with an average of 19.8 %. Ultrastructurally, spindle cells showed a fibroblastic phenotype with occasional myofibroblastic differentiation. Recurrence was not evident 14 months after simple excision.
