Isolated plexiform neurofibroma: treatment with three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy.

Objectives: To present a case of an unusual benign tumor of the tongue treated successfully with radiotherapy.

Study Design: Case report.

Methods: Retrospective chart review.

Results: A 60-year-old man presented with a painful submucosal lesion of the tongue base. Computed tomography showed an infiltrative soft-tissue mass involving the left base of the tongue. Operative biopsy revealed plexiform neurofibroma. Because of the patient's operative risk and the potential morbidity of surgical resection, he was treated with three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT). His treatment was accomplished using a five-field arrangement treating exclusively the mass lesion to a total tumor dose of 60 Gy. After treatment, the patient's tongue pain resolved, and he noted minimal transient xerostomia. Serial follow-up radiographic examinations showed the base of tongue mass to be slightly smaller 4 months after treatment. The most recent follow-up magnetic resonance image reveals a further decrease in size of the mass. The patient is now over 3 years out from treatment.

Conclusions: Solitary plexiform neurofibroma of the tongue base is a rare tumor. These benign neoplasms are usually treated with either observation or surgical excision. This case demonstrates that, when significant symptoms necessitate active management, these lesions may be successfully treated with minimal morbidity using 3DCRT. The ability of this technique to deliver a conformal radiation dose to the tumor volume while sparing the surrounding normal tissues may expand the application of radiotherapy in the treatment of these benign lesions of the head and neck.