Bilateral Masticator Space Metastasis of Breast Cancer Mimicking Abscess

Metastasis to the masticator space and mandible is very rare. The most common origin in women is breast cancer. Cystic metastases may radiologically mimic abscess. Definitive diagnosis can be made histopathologically. The prognosis of these patients is very poor and early diagnosis is important. Therefore, metastasis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of oral lesions.

Infratemporal Fossa Abscesses: A Systematic Review of Cases

OBJECTIVES

We have attempted to characterize the clinical presentations and management of infratemporal fossa abscesses with the goal of improving awareness and promoting earlier diagnosis and treatment for this rare condition.

METHODS

an extensive systematic search was performed through Pubmed/Medline, CINAHL (EBSCOhost), and Web of Science. Two authors screened out studies by abstracts, and a third resolved any conflicts. The remaining studies were assessed by full-text assessment, leaving 43 studies for data extraction.

RESULTS

sixty-seven patients were included from the final 43 studies. The patients were predominantly male (56.7%), and the average age of patients was 44.3 years (standard deviation (SD) 19.8 years). Risk factors most commonly odontogenic, whether the etiology was through tooth extraction (n = 30, 44.8%) or infection (n = 17, 25.4%). Symptoms on presentation included pain (n = 40, 83.3%), swelling (n = 39, 81.3%), and trismus (n = 36, 75.0%). Twenty-two (32.8%) patients were managed with intraoral incision and drainage (I&D), 18 (26.9%) with extraoral I&D. After treatment, 45 of the 48 (93.8%) patients from the case reports and series were deemed to have achieved complete resolution.

CONCLUSIONS

Infratemporal fossa abscesses are rare, but they may be associated with serious neurologic and systemic complications. Although prompt diagnosis paramount in avoiding these sequelae, patients often experienced delays in diagnosis. Surgical drainage and extended antibiotic therapy is recommended.

Achieving negative resection margins in oral cavity cancer with masticator space involvement-Is it feasible? An international collaborative study

BACKGROUND

Masticator space involvement in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC) is considered an unresectable disease. Nevertheless, achieving negative resection margins is feasible in limited masticatory space involvement.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A multi-institutional study on OCSCC patients with masticator space invasion who underwent surgical resection. Margin status was assessed according to anatomic tumor involvement of the inframandibular and supra-mandibular notch.

RESULTS

One-hundred and thirty-two patients met the inclusion criteria. Then, 67 patients (50.8%) were diagnosed with a supra-notch tumor and 65 (49.2%) with an infra-notch disease. Negative margins were more common in the infra-notch group (43.3 vs. 23.1%, p = 0.014), and positive margins were more common in the supra-notch group (41.5 vs. 23.9%, p = 0.041). Multivariable analysis demonstrated that supra-notch tumors had an increased likelihood for involved resection margins (odds ratio = 2.46, p = 0.036).

CONCLUSION

OCSCC patients with masticator space involvement are prone for positive surgical margins in tumors extending above the supra-mandibular notch.

Role of structures in the masticator space in selecting patients with resectable T4b oral cancer: findings from a survival analysis

Oral squamous cell cancers involving the masticatory space are staged as unresectable cancers and their treatment is difficult. Curative treatment with extensive surgery followed by adjuvant therapy is one of the treatment options. In this retrospective study, the survival of 123 patients (93 with T4a cancers, 30 with T4b cancers), treated during the period August 2009 to August 2015, was evaluated. The majority had bucco-alveolar cancers (62.6%), were male (61.8%), and were tobacco users (76.4%). The select group of T4b oral cancer patients were treated with surgery, which included infratemporal fossa clearance in all 30 patients, followed by adjuvant therapy. The masseter was the most commonly involved masticatory muscle, and 24 patients had fewer than three involved structures. Free margins were obtained in 90.2% of cases; 41.5% of cases were node-positive. One hundred and four patients (84.6%) completed adjuvant treatment. The median follow-up was 42 months. For node-negative patients with T4a and T4b cancers, the 5-year overall survival was 59% and 50.2%, respectively (P= 0.62), and 5-year disease-free survival was 64.6% and 53.5%, respectively (P= 0.01). In conclusion, the select group of patients with T4b oral cancers and less than three masticatory space structures involved had comparable outcomes to those with T4a cancers after treatment with surgery and adjuvant radiotherapy.

Surgical Resection is Justifiable for Oral T4b Squamous Cell Cancers With Masticator Space Invasion

OBJECTIVES

To examine survival endpoints in patients with tumor (T)4b oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC) with pathologically proven masticator space invasion treated with primary surgery followed by adjuvant therapy.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective review at an academic cancer center.

METHODS

Twenty-five patients with T4b OCSCC with pathologic masticator space invasion were treated with primary surgery from May 2012 to December 2016. Only patients with ≥ 2 years follow-up from date of surgery were included. Sixteen patients received adjuvant chemoradiation.

RESULTS

Median follow-up time was 39 months from date of surgery. Overall survival (OS), disease-specific survival (DSS), and recurrence-free survival at 24 months were 44.0%, 63.2%, and 52.6%, respectively. On univariate analyses, adjuvant chemoradiation was associated with improved OS. Advanced age and prolonged length of hospital stay was associated with worse OS.

CONCLUSION

For pT4b OCSCCA involving the masticator space, primary surgical resection followed by adjuvant chemoradiation demonstrates 24-month DSS of > 50% and OS of 44%.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

4 Laryngoscope, 131:E466-E472, 2021.

Juvenile primary extranasopharyngeal angiofibroma, presenting as cheek swelling

Angiofibroma is a locally advancing immensely vascular tumor that essentially arises from the nasopharynx. The clinical characteristics of extranasopharyngeal angiofibroma (ENA) do not accord to that of nasopharyngeal angiofibroma and can present a diagnostic confront. We describe a case of primary juvenile ENA in a 19-year-old patient who presented with a rapidly enlarging mass of the cheek region. The case is unusual because of its anatomic location. The diagnostic and management particulars are sketched.

Masticator Space Foreign Body in a Child Presenting With Otorrhea and Granulation Tissue of the External Auditory Canal

OBJECTIVE

We report an unusual case of masticator space foreign body in a patient presenting with otorrhea and granulation tissue within the external auditory canal (EAC).

METHODS

Case report.

RESULTS

A 16-month-old male presented with fever, unilateral otorrhea, facial swelling, leukocytosis, and granulation tissue within the EAC that failed to respond to conventional medical treatment. Computed tomography scan showed EAC and middle ear opacification and soft tissue swelling involving the masticator space. Given concerns for malignancy, biopsies of tissue within the EAC and of a newly detected right buccal mass were performed, revealing granulation tissue. Concern persisted for neoplasm, however, and magnetic resonance imaging was obtained, showing a masticator space foreign body and possible osteomyelitis of the mandible and pterygoid plates. The patient underwent urgent operative removal of a 3 cm crayon fragment from the masticator space and debridement of granulation tissue arising from a small defect at the inferior medial cartilaginous EAC. He likely sustained foreign body injury several weeks earlier upon falling from standing height while biting a crayon. Postoperatively, he was observed in hospital on intravenous antibiotics and improved significantly. He has since fully recovered.

CONCLUSION

Masticator space foreign bodies may present with erosion and granulation tissue of the EAC.

Juvenile pleomorphic adenoma of masticator space: The first case report

Pleomorphic adenoma (PA), also called benign mixed tumor, is the most common tumor of the salivary glands. About 90% of these tumors occur in the parotid gland and 10% in the minor salivary glands. Juvenile PAs are uncommon and about 5-10% of minor salivary gland PA affects patients aged 20 years and under. The most common sites of PA of the minor salivary glands are the palate followed by lips and cheek. Other rare reported sites include the throat, floor of the mouth, tongue, tonsil, pharynx, retromolar area and nasal cavity. The masticator space is a deep facial space with a complex anatomical structure where PA is not known to occur. Here, we report an unusual case of PA of left masticator space in a 16-year-old girl patient, which to the best of our knowledge is the first reported case in English language literature.

Lipoma involving the masticator space

The lipoma is a common tumor of mesenchymal origin, usually seen on the trunk and lower limbs. In the head and neck region, it is usually seen in the posterior neck. It is rarely seen in the anterior neck, infratemporal fossa, oral cavity, pharynx, larynx and parotid gland. It may present in a variety of ways. We report a rare case of a lipoma involving the masticator space.

A case of soft tissue myoepithelial tumor arising in masticator space

Soft tissue myoepithelial tumors of the head and neck region are very rare, and only one case of soft tissue myoepithelial tumor occurring in the masticator space has been reported in the world literature. A case of soft tissue myoepithelial tumor with benign histomorphology, but with an invasive growth pattern, occurred in the masticator space of a 46-year- old male patient. Magnetic resonance imaging of paranasal sinus/nasopharynx revealed a well-defined, lobulated heterogeneous mass with high signal intensity and dense calcification in the masticator space between the left mandible ramus and pterygoid process. Grossly, the tumor was a well- circumscribed ovoid solid mass and consisted of yellowish gray glistening firm tissue. Histologically, the tumor showed a multinodular growth pattern and consisted of epithelioid cells in chondromyxoid stroma and of spindle-shaped to ovoid cells in the hyaline stroma. The tumor cells appeared bland, and no mitosis or necrosis was found within the tumor. The tumor focally invaded to adhered bone tissue. Immunohistochemically, the tumor cells were diffusely positive for epithelial membrane antigen, smooth muscle actin, but negative for other epithelial markers. Ultrastructurally, the cytoplasm of the tumor cells contained sparse microfilaments and subplasmalemmal densities. Attenuated desmosomes were commonly seen between the tumor cells.