Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumours of the maxillary sinus: A brief clinical report and review of the literature

Abstract

Although inflammatory myofibroblastic tumours (IMTs) have been accepted as a clonal neoplasm, their pathology is poorly understood due to variable presentation. There is no identifiable cause and they are usually observed as tumour growth combined with inflammation. In the current WHO classification, IMTs are designated as intermediate malignancies. In terms of biological potential, IMTs are classified under ‘rarely metastasizing’. IMTs are rare in the maxillary sinus but, when reported, can be locally aggressive or even destructive if they invade the orbit. The authors present a brief clinical report describing a five-year-old girl with a slow-growing mass in the right maxillary sinus extending into the lacrimal sac and its management.