A bird's-eye view of pathologist over diagnostic confusion of oral cavity lesions
Authors: Kalavathi Lakshmi C. , Chaitanya Krishna Vemuru , Venkata Vydehi B. 
Published: September 2024

Introduction:

Oral cavity can be host to multitude of neoplastic, premalignant or non neoplastic pathological lesions. Diagnosis of lesions of oral cavity is always of interest to clinician and pathologist and rely on clinical appearance of lesions. There can be variation in diagnosis of clinical lesion with histopathology. Many oral carcinomas arise within the sites that previously had premalignant lesion. Incidence of oral cancers in population has increased among younger generations related to habits and lifestyle. These lesions during clinical presentation are misleading and create diagnostic dilemma owing to age, sex and distribution of lesions. Understanding distribution of oral mucosal lesions helps to diagnose lesions of oral cavity. Purpose of this study is to observe the variation in clinical diagnosis with histopathological diagnosis in patients with inflammatory, premalignant, benign and malignant lesions of oral cavity and oropharynx and also clinical distribution of lesions of oral cavity and oropharynx lesions by histopathology.

Observations:

Out of total 105 lesions, ulcer in oral cavity seen in 58 (55.23%) of patients, followed by swelling or feeling of lump in oral cavity in 36 (34.29%) of patients and foreign body sensation in 23 (21.90%) of patients with tongue as most frequent site for most of lesions of oral cavity accounting in 33 (31.43%) of cases, and less frequently lesions were seen in retro molar trigone area in 2 (1.90%) patients. Histopathological diagnosis of premalignant, non neoplastic and inflammatory lesions was made in 24 (22.85%) cases, benign tumours were diagnosed in 14 (13.33%) cases and rest of 67 (63.81%) lesions were malignant. Mucocoel were seen in five (4.76%) cases, radicular cyst was seen in one (0.95%) case of female patient and four cases of Leukoplakia with one case showing mild dysplasia. Among benign tumours 11 (10.47%) patients presented with gingivitis turned out to be squamous papillomas were seen in five (4.76%) cases, fibroma was diagnosed in four (3.80%) cases, pyogenic granuloma was diagnosed in four (3.80%) cases most commonly seen over gingiva and myoepithelioma of minor salivary gland was observed in one (0.95%) case over soft palate. Out of 67 cases of malignant lesions squamous cell carcinomas were seen in 59 (88.05%) cases followed by verrucous carcinoma in 3 (4.47%) cases, 2 (2.99%) cases were basaloid squamous cell carcinomas, mucoepidermoid carcinoma was seen in 2 (2.99%) cases and 1 (1.49%) case of adenoid cystic carcinoma was seen. Majority of squamous cell carcinomas cases in study were well differentiated in 49 (73.13%) cases followed by moderately differentiated in 16 (23.88%) cases and poorly differentiated in 2 (2.99%) cases. Malignant transformation of tonsil tissue post operatively was observed in 1 (0.95%) patients on histopathology. One (2.5%) case of myoepithelioma was seen in 60 years male over soft palate.

Conclusion:

Of all oral biopsies reported in study, increasing trend of malignancies in lower age groups of population making it an emerging threat to community and highlighting need to take effective measures to increase public awareness about risk factors and consequences of this condition. Screening programmes targeted to population over 25 years are recommended to overcome this.