Malignant fibrous histiocytoma of maxillary alveolar ridge extending to the hard palate

Malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) is the most common soft-tissue sarcoma occurring in adults. This entity was first described by O'Brian and Stout in 1964. Apart from the soft-tissues, this tumor has been reported to occur in all other parts of the body including bone. It has male predilection and is usually noticed in the fifth to seventh decades of life. It commonly affects extremities and retroperitoneum, whereas involvement of the head and neck region is comparatively rare. However, when the head and neck region is affected, the most common sites are the maxillary sinus and the nasal cavity, in which case, later involvement of the maxillary alveolar bone can happen. The oral cavity is a relatively less common site for MFH. This article describes clinical, computed tomographic and microscopic features of a MFH of the maxillary alveolar ridge extending to the hard palate in a 46-year-old female patient. Histogenesis, advanced imaging features, differential diagnosis, and management of MFH are also discussed.