Squamous cell carcinoma

A 58-year-old male presented to a dental office for a routine checkup. With the complaint of nonhealing ulceration of the lower lip……

When questioned about the area, the patient claimed the ulcer had been present for at least six months, maybe longer. No pain or discomfort was noted by the patient. When questioned about excessive sun exposure, the patient stated that he spends many hours outdoors and does not use sunblock. The patient denied a history of smoking and alcohol use. No history of trauma to the area was noted.

The patient had a previous history of regular and routine dental care. At the time of the dental appointment, the patient was not taking medications of any kind. No significant problems were noted during the health history.

Examinations

Physical examination of the head and neck region revealed no abnormal findings. The patient`s vital signs were all found to be within normal limits. No palpable lymph nodes were detected. No other abnormal extraoral findings were noted. Oral examination revealed an ulcerative lesion of the vermilion of the lower lip, measuring one centimeter in diameter. When palpated, the periphery of the lesion felt indurated.

Based on the clinical information presented, which one of the following is the most likely diagnosis?

* erosive lichen planus

* actinic cheilitis

* squamous cell carcinoma

* traumatic ulcer

* recurrent herpes labialis

With the soft tissue biopsy and histologic examination of ulcer suggested that oral squamous cell carcinoma

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is derived from the squamous epithelial cells, which are the flat and scaly cells found on the surface of the oral mucosa. When these squamous cells become cancerous, the cancer is referred to as a carcinoma, which is defined as a malignancy of epithelial origin. SCC is found both on the lips and inside the oral cavity. An estimated 90-95 percent of all oral cancers are squamous cell carcinoma. SCC behaves differently depending upon its location.

The major causative factor for SCC of the lip is prolonged sun exposure. In addition, certain forms of tobacco use play a contributing role – pipe and cigar smoking are often linked to SCC of the lip. Lack of dental hygiene and sharp tooth is the major causative factor for Oral SCC.

Clinical features

Although SCC of the lip may occur at any age, this lesion most often occurs in adults between the ages of 50 and 70; men are twice as likely to be affected as women. The lower lip is affected by SCC far more frequently than the upper lip.

SCC of the lip has a variety of clinical appearances. The usual presentation is that of a nonhealing ulceration and crust. Raised and indurated borders may be present. The size is variable; a larger lesion may appear as a crater-like defect. SCC of the lip is typically not painful and very slow to metastasize (spread) to the regional lymph nodes or other organs.

Staging is the process of determining if and how far a cancer has spread. Both treatment and prognosis are dependent upon the stage of a cancer. Staging information is obtained from the physical exam, endoscopy, and imaging studies (CT scan, MRI, chest X-ray, or nuclear medicine scans).

Treatment

Once a diagnosis and staging has been determined, treatment can be rendered. Treatment options for SCC of the lip include surgical excision and radiation therapy. Smaller lesions may be surgically removed or irradiated, while larger lesions may require a combination of both surgery and radiation.

Outcome

Treatment success is based on the size of the lesion and metastasis. SCC of the lip is slow to metastasize to regional lymph nodes and other organs. Consequently, the overall prognosis for SCC of the lip without such metastasis is favorable, with an 85 percent five-year survival rate.

Oral cancer and the dental professional

Both the dentist and the Faciomaxillary, Head & Neck surgeon can play an important role in the detection of oral cancer by performing a cancer screening examination. It is important to remember that early detection is critical; the earlier a lesion is diagnosed and treated, the better the prognosis.

Oral hygiene is Crucial
Oral hygiene has been shown to be an independent risk factor for oral cancer in several studies. Generally, it is not the food that we eat, but lack of dental hygiene like regular brushing and cleaning that leads to poor oral hygiene. Thus, it is important to maintain dental hygiene with regular rinsing and brushing. With a good preventive strategy, one can reduce the risk of sharp teeth and thus oral cancer due to this.