Synovial sarcoma of the head and neck - a report of 3 cases

Synovial sarcoma is very rare and highly malignant tumour of the head and neck. Only 3 cases of synovial sarcoma have been treated 1980-1997 in Kasturba Medical College, Manipal. Treat-ment involved extensive surgical resection of the tumour (with neck dissection in two cases); and post- operative radiotherapy and chemotherapy in one case. Behaviour of the tumour was followed up till August 1997. It remains in our experience that synovial sarcoma, though a tumour or poor prognosis if treated by adequate tumour resection and adjunctive radiotherapy and chemotherapy, has good patient survival.