In a 10-year follow-up study, over 30,000 individuals in 3 distinct geographic regions of India were selected because of specific forms of tobacco habits practiced there.
In India, oral cancer ranks first among all cancer cases in males, and third among females in many regions. In parts of Asia, including India, where the use of tobacco, betel nuts, or lime to form a quid is widespread, the incidence of oral cancer is high. Squamous cell carcinoma has been defined as, ‘a malignant epithelial neoplasm exhibiting squamous differentiation as characterized by the formation of keratin and/or the presence of intercellular bridges.’ Of these, squamous cell carcinomas (SSC) form the majority bulk of cases of oral cancers. Oral carcinomas are among the most prevalent cancers in the world and one of the 10 most common causes of death. Therefore, any oral lesion should strike a chord of suspicion, and practitioners should base their diagnosis on careful examination, and valid evidence. Carcinoma of the gingiva often mimics inflammatory lesions and hence is often misdiagnosed. Radiographs revealed extensive bone loss, and the biopsy report confirmed the diagnosis of well-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma of the alveolus. The patient was advised a complete hemogram, orthopantomograph, and intra-oral periapical radiograph of the extraction socket.
A provisional diagnosis of alveolar osteitis was derived at with a differential diagnosis of osteomyelitis and carcinoma of the alveolus. The wound was associated with pain and suppuration. This article presents a case of a 29-year-old female patient who presented with a non-healing wound for about 1.5 months post-extraction. Cancers of the gingiva often escape early detection, and hence an early intervention, since their initial signs and symptoms resemble common dental and periodontal infections. Squamous cell carcinomas of the gingiva make up a significant percentage of oral squamous cell carcinomas and are one of the most common causes of death worldwide.