Bilateral symmetrical lipoma of the buccal fat pad as an incidental finding in a woman with weight gain after tamoxifen: a case report

Abstract

Although lipoma is a common benign tumor, it occurs relatively infrequently in the oral and maxillofacial areas, and only 31 cases of lipoma in the buccal fat pad have been reported. Herein, we present an extremely rare case of symmetric lipomas in both buccal fat pads. These masses were incidentally discovered during a facelift procedure in a 50-year-old woman with a 4-year history of tamoxifen use. during which she had gained 10 kg. The patient stated that cheek protrusion had developed concomitantly with weight gain and was exacerbated by an injection lipolysis procedure she had received 1 year previously. This case underscores the importance of paying careful attention to the patient’s medication use and surgical history when evaluating suspected cases of lipoma, and sheds light on tamoxifen use and subcutaneous injections of phosphatidylcholine and deoxycholate as potential risk factors for lipoma development.