Oralt planocellulært karcinom

Background
Squamous cell carcinomas account for around 90% of cancers in the head and neck area. Particular risk factors are alcohol and tobacco. The squamous cell carcinoma is typically treated by surgical excision in combination with subsequent adjuvant radiation therapy.

Case study
A 72-year-old was referred by his dentist to the Department of Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospital of Copenhagen, with swelling and redness corresponding to the marginal gingiva in relation to tooth 25. The patient had no discomfort from the lesion. The tentative diagnosis was pyogenic granuloma. An excisional biopsy of the lesion was performed, which showed that the lesion was in fact a squamous cell carcinoma. The patient was referred to an ear, nose and throat oncologic centre for further treatment, where further excision and radiotherapy was performed.

Conclusion
Rapid investigation and diagnostics of oral tumours are crucial for the patient’s treatment and prognosis. It is important that a histological examination of the excised tissue is performed to confirm or exclude malignancy.