We describe a case of a rare soft-palatal and parapharyngeal mass in an adult woman. A 71-year-old female presented with a huge mass protruding from the soft palate, complaining about difficulty in swallowing for the past 4 months. After inspection and ear nose and throat fibroscopy, in which the mass appeared regular-shaped and with a regular mucosa, the patient underwent a CT scan and MRI examination. The CT scan showed an oval, not-infiltrating, hypodense mass including a discrete irregular-shaped central calcification, while the MRI examination confirmed the non-infiltrating growth and showed that around the calcified core, the lesion was surrounded by fat. After surgical removal, the histopathologic diagnosis was that of an "ectomesenchymal chondromyxoid tumour". Ectomesenchymal chondromyxoid tumour is a rare benign neoplasm arising from the tongue. Although only 45 cases have been reported in the literature, there are several unique features that define this lesion. Ours is the first case with a complete CT scan and MRI with diffusion imaging description.

Thyroglossal duct cysts represent the most common congenital cervical malformations. Carcinomas arising in the thyroglossal duct cysts are rare neoplasms characterized by a relatively non aggressive behavior with rare lymph node spread. Approximately 1% of thyroglossal cysts contain a carcinoma. The most frequent histological type is papillary carcinoma, accounting for about 80% of cases. Currently, most authors agree about their primary origin ex novo from ectopic thyroid tissue in the cyst. In most cases the diagnosis of thyroglossal duct carcinoma (TDC) is not made until histopathological examination has been performed on a resected cyst without any suspected clinical sign of malignancy. The definition of the correct surgical treatment for these carcinomas is still controversial; most authors maintain that resection of a TDC with the Sistrunk procedure can be considered oncologically adequate when dealing with a differentiated carcinoma without extracapsular invasion and/or lymph node metastases and with a normal thyroid. We present two cases of papillary thyroid carcinoma identified after resection of a thyroglossal cyst according to the Sistrunk procedure and managed with different surgical approaches according to the different sites of the tumors. In addition, we discuss appropriate therapeutic strategies in light of the most recent data in the literature.

Extramedullary plasmacytoma (EMP) is a rare variant of plasma cell myeloma that affects soft tissues. The head and neck region are the most affected sites, although others have also been described. Herein we report an uncommon case of EMP of the larynx in a 65-year-old male who presented with a history of progressive dysphonia and hoarseness. Laryngeal fiberscopy evidenced a reddish pedicled voluminous mass in the left false cords and ventricle. Microscopic suspension laryngoscopy was performed under general anaesthesia and a 4 W Acublade CO2 Laser was used for transoral resection of the lesion. This was followed by adjuvant radiotherapy, with the widely recommended doses on the supraglottic region, to achieve better local control. Diagnosis of EMP is based on immunohistochemistry and the exclusion of systemic plasma cell proliferative disorders. Diagnosis of solitary EMP can be made only if studies for disseminated disease and X-ray and/or magnetic resonance imaging of the spine, pelvis, femurs, and humerus and bone marrow biopsy are negative. As there are no internationally established guidelines, treatment of EMP is mainly based on consensus of expert opinion.