EARLY DIAGNOSIS AND MULTIPLE FACES OF ORAL SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA

• Published in: Oral surgery, oral medicine, oral pathology and oral radiology Vol. 129; no. 1; p. e85
• Main Authors: DO CARMO CARVALHO, BRUNA FERNANDES, COSTA, VICTOR, CARDOSO, CESAR AUGUSTO, ANBINDER, ANA LIA, KAMINAGAKURA, ESTELA, ALMEIDA, JANETE DIAS, CAVALCANTE, ANA SUELI RODRIGUES
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Inc 01.01.2020
• ISSN: 2212-4403; 2212-4411
• DOI: 10.1016/j.oooo.2019.06.350

This is a case report of an unusual clinical presentation of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). A 60-year-old man was referred for evaluation of pain in the posterior border of the tongue. The patient reported a previous biopsy in the same region, about 2 years ago, which was diagnosed as lichenoid dysplasia. Intraoral examination revealed a 5-mm reddish nodule of firm consistency and smooth surface with a painful symptomatology in the right side of the posterior border of the tongue. The diagnosis hypotheses were subgemmal neurogenous plaque, neurofibroma, or SCC. The histopathologic examination revealed superficially invasive SCC. The surgical treatment included the radical neck dissection, and lymph node metastases were found in the levels II and IV. The patient started radiotherapy and is under follow-up. This case emphasizes the importance of early diagnosis since SCC can present different patterns and, despite the small size, have the potential to metastasize.