Spindle Cell Lipoma: A Rare, Misunderstood Entity

Abstract

Spindle cell lipoma, a rare variant of lipoma, is a benign tumor found in the posterior neck and shoulder. A 24-year-old man with a close family history of malignant lymphoma had presented with a large, firm, nodular mass found in the right supraclavicular area. Excision of the deeply located mass revealed a pale yellow, rubbery nodule which grossly resembled an enlarged lymph node, with a variant of lymphoma as a primary suspect. However, pathological studies revealed the lesion to be a spindle cell lipoma. Although atypical in location, spindle cell lipoma should always be kept in differential diagnosis of a newly-noted soft tissue mass, as this entity may be easily cured by simple excision.