Calcified synovial sarcoma of the oropharynx

Synovial sarcoma is an infrequent connective tissue neoplasm representing 5–10% of all soft tissue sarcomas (Stout & Latter, 1967). It involves mainly the extremities and to a lesser degree the trunk (Hajdu et al, 1977; Wright et al, 1982). A primary head and neck site is extremely rare. Less than 50 cases have been reported in the English literature, and most of these occurred in the paravertebral and hypopharyngeal areas (Batsakis et al, 1961; Roth et al, 1975). Only five cases have been described in the area of the soft palate—tonsillar fossa (Lockey, 1976; Shmookler et al, 1982).