Oral squamous cell carcinoma mimicking osteonecrosis of the jaw: a case report

Vera Panzarella, Rodolfo Mauceri, Martina Iurato Carbone, Giacomo Oteri, Erasmo Rubino, Pietro Tozzo, olga di fede, Giuseppina Campisi
2021 Qeios  
Osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ) is a well-known adverse drug reaction to bisphosphonate (BP) treatment. ONJ diagnosis is usually based on the patient's medical/medication histories and on the clinical/radiological features of necrotic bone (frequently exposed). Furthermore, in case of mandibular involvement, patients may present pain and/or hypesthesia of the inferior alveolar nerve. There are no pathognomonic clinical and radiological signs of ONJ, and in doubtful cases, the histologic
more » ... on is recommended. We report a case of a woman attending to our sector of Oral Medicine (AOUP "P. Giaccone" Palermo, Italy) with a mandibular bone exposure after implants loss and a medical history of BPs. Biopsy specimens demonstrated proliferation of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Even if the role of biopsy in diagnosis ONJ is still a controversial issue, it is mandatory in case of OSCC suspicious.
doi:10.32388/ic2qds fatcat:x5pcnrsemzdqpapifoho2cxrmy