Squamous cell carcinoma of gingiva: An enigmatic lesion

Abstract

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the most frequent malignant neoplasm affecting structures of the oral mucosa, which accounts for more than 90% of all malignant lesions in the mouth. Carcinomas of the gingiva are a unique subset of oral SCC (OSCC), constituting approximately 10% of OSCCs and tend to present as having benign features, and of all the intraoral carcinomas, gingival OSCC is least associated with tobacco abuse and has the greatest predilection for females. They can mimic a multitude of oral lesions, especially those of inflammatory origin with benign features, often leading to delay in the diagnosis, and hence delayed treatment. We are reporting a case of gingival SCC in a 35-year-old female patient who presented with a peripheral growth in the left mandibular gingiva.

Keywords

• dysplasia
• gingival mass
• oral cancer
• squamous cell carcinoma
• tobacco