Maxillary squamous cell carcinoma with widely spreaded erythroplakia: report of a case

Abstract

Erythroplakia and leukoplakia are generally accepted precancerous lesions of the oral mucosa. Erythroplakia is defined as bright red velvety plaque which is a persistent asymptomatic lesion in any portion of oral cavity except the lip. Its occurrence cannot be characterized clinically or pathologically as being due to any other condition. Because of the ambiguity of its clinical and histological features, it often generates much confusion with leukoplakia and/or some of the inflammatory conditions due to local infection, or subacute or chronic stomatitis associated with the presence of denture, tuberculosis and fungal infections. But it is reported that erythroplakia is more likely to develop into carcinoma than leukoplakia.
The present paper describes a case of maxillary carcinoma with widely extended erythroplakia involving hard and soft palatal mucosa. The treatment was surgical resection of maxilla including the area with erythroplakia. The postoperative course was free from complication except for slightly low liver function which improved in two months and without clinical problems. The patient has been alive for two years and five months postoperatively without tumor recurrence, and is currently wearing a prosthesis on the resected maxilla which has effectively improved speech. Furthermore, interesting reults of immunological tests concerning non-specific cell-mediated immunologic function of the patient is also reported.