SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA ASSOCIATED WITH WHITE LESIONS

Abstract

An 81-year-old white female, with no history of smoking or drinking, reported persistent pain and increase in lesion size in the last 3 months. Intraoral exam showed an exophytic nodular and ulcerated lesion in the region of left labial commissure, 1.5 cm in size and of soft consistency; next to the lesion, there was an extensive white plaque. A white plaque with striated appearance was also observed on the right buccal mucosa. An incisional biopsy was performed in the nodular area with the histopathologic diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma. The patient was referred to the head and neck service for treatment. This carcinoma case may have been preceded by oral lichenoid lesions and proliferative verrucous leukoplakia and these lesions should be detected during clinical exam and followed closely, as they carry a higher risk for malignant transformation and carcinoma arising from them and may show better prognosis if detected early. An 81-year-old white female, with no history of smoking or drinking, reported persistent pain and increase in lesion size in the last 3 months. Intraoral exam showed an exophytic nodular and ulcerated lesion in the region of left labial commissure, 1.5 cm in size and of soft consistency; next to the lesion, there was an extensive white plaque. A white plaque with striated appearance was also observed on the right buccal mucosa. An incisional biopsy was performed in the nodular area with the histopathologic diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma. The patient was referred to the head and neck service for treatment. This carcinoma case may have been preceded by oral lichenoid lesions and proliferative verrucous leukoplakia and these lesions should be detected during clinical exam and followed closely, as they carry a higher risk for malignant transformation and carcinoma arising from them and may show better prognosis if detected early.