Nodular lesion on the posterior dorsal surface of the tongue

Abstract

A 47-year-old man was referred to the Oral Medicine Service of our institution complaining of discomfort during eating and speaking because of the presence of a painless nodule on the posterior dorsal surface of the tongue. The patient had noticed the tongue lesion 1 month ago, and it had gradually expanded until it reached the size seen in the current clinical presentation. The medical history was noncontributory. Intraoral examination revealed a pink, pedunculated, exophytic, well-defined nodule, with a discretely lobulated and substantial ulcerated surface covered by a yellowish pseudomembrane without any tendency to bleed; measuring approximately 2 cm in greatest diameter; and located on the posterior dorsal region of the tongue (Figure 1).