Spindle cell lipoma of peri-parotid soft tissues. Report of a case and histogenetic considerations

Spindle cell lipoma (SCL) is a rare benign tumor which occurs most commonly in the posterior neck, shoulder and back. We report a rare case of SCL arising in peri-parotid soft tissues in a 66 year-old man. This is an unusual site for such a relatively rare lesion. The histological examination of the lesion showed the typical morphological features of SCL. Only four cases of SCL of the parotid region have been reported to date. Our case emphasizes the possibility that SCL may occur in the peri-parotid soft tissue and awareness of this possibility is crucial for pathologists to avoid confusion with others primary tumors of the parotid gland in which mature adipose tissue may be a metaplastic tumor component.