Solitary fibrous tumor of the submandibular region

Solitary fibrous tumors (SFTs) are a rare type of neoplasm that originate from the pleura. Although SFTs may occur in a variety of extrathoracic regions, they are considered to be rare in the submandibular region. The current study presents the case of a 39-year-old female with a 3×4-cm, fibro-elastic, movable, painless nodule in the right side of the submandibular region. The patient exhibited no other clinical manifestations in the head and neck region. A computed tomography scan demonstrated the presence of a well-defined, slightly low-density nodular shadow measuring 2.6×3.3×3.8 cm, in proximity to the right submandibular gland, with mild contrast enhancement and no association with the adjacent lymph nodes. The lesion was surgically excised, and following histopathological and immunohistochemical analysis, immunohistochemical staining determined that the lesion was positive for cluster of differentiation (CD)34, CD99 and vimentin, and negative for desmin, CD31 and S-100; therefore, a diagnosis of an SFT was determined. The patient has so far been followed up for 22 months, with no signs of recurrence or metastases. The present study also discusses the clinical, histopathological and immunohistochemical features, treatment strategies and potential clinical outcomes of SFTs. The study proposes that, although rare, SFTs of the submandibular region should be included in the differential diagnosis of soft-tissue tumors in the submandibular region.