Basaloid squamous cell carcinoma (BSCC) of the head and neck, first described in 1986, is a rare malignant disease. The aggressive biologic behavior of BSCC has been strongly associated with distant metastasis.
We report a case of BSCC in the head and neck of a 58-year-old man who presented with right lower gingival swelling. The patient had a mass extending from the right lower gingival region to the pharyngeal region with spontaneous pain. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance image revealed a round 65 × 35 mm solid mass infiltrating the right side of the mandible, with cervical lymph node, rib, and lung multiple metastases. A biopsy specimen was taken from the primary tumor, and BSCC was diagnosed.
The patient received systemic chemotherapy with docetaxel, cisplatin, and 5-fluorouracil combined with radiation therapy, because disease was advanced. Although the primary tumor and regional lymph node metastasis were successfully controlled, the patient died of multiple lung and bone metastases 12 months after these treatments.
In conclusion, systemic chemotherapy with a TPF regimen combined with radiation therapy may be an effective treatment for patients with advanced BSCC of the oral region.
