THE ROLE OF DENTISTRY IN THE EARLY DIAGNOSIS AND FOLLOW-UP OF POTENTIALLY MALIGNANT DISORDERS: A CASE REPORT

Abstract

In 2017, a 66-year-old male patient, smoker and alcohol-addicted for the last 52 years, presented a white plaque with a diagnosis of epithelial hyperplasia with papillomatosis and mild epithelial dysplasia. The patient did not continue with follow-up care. Later, in May 2021, he returned for further exams, presenting an extensive, hard, ulcerated exophytic erythroleukoplakia, with undefined limits on the edge of the tongue. New biopsies were performed, and the anatomopathological examination showed moderately epithelial dysplasia in the soft palate region. The left tongue was diagnosed with moderately differentiated conventional squamous cell carcinoma staging cT3acN1cM0 tongue squamous cell carcinoma. Treatment consisted of left partial glossectomy, together with radiotherapy (20 fractions x 250cGy/field). These findings are important because they imply that many patients with oral premalignant lesions are not diagnosed in a timely manner. thereby failing to receive the benefits of early detection. In 2017, a 66-year-old male patient, smoker and alcohol-addicted for the last 52 years, presented a white plaque with a diagnosis of epithelial hyperplasia with papillomatosis and mild epithelial dysplasia. The patient did not continue with follow-up care. Later, in May 2021, he returned for further exams, presenting an extensive, hard, ulcerated exophytic erythroleukoplakia, with undefined limits on the edge of the tongue. New biopsies were performed, and the anatomopathological examination showed moderately epithelial dysplasia in the soft palate region. The left tongue was diagnosed with moderately differentiated conventional squamous cell carcinoma staging cT3acN1cM0 tongue squamous cell carcinoma. Treatment consisted of left partial glossectomy, together with radiotherapy (20 fractions x 250cGy/field). These findings are important because they imply that many patients with oral premalignant lesions are not diagnosed in a timely manner. thereby failing to receive the benefits of early detection.