title: Head and neck cancer after foreign body ingestion.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ingestion of a foreign body is a common occurrence in our population. We present 2 cases that illustrate an unusual outcome of an otherwise usual occurrence.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two patients who presented with a history of ingestion of fish bones were worked up. The radiological findings were suspicious of a foreign body and both underwent examination under general anaesthesia. The endoscopic findings were normal. After further evaluation for persistent calcifications with computed tomography, a thyroid malignancy was found in the first patient and tongue cancer in the second patient.
  
  
  METHODS
  The first patient underwent elective hemithyroidectomy and the second underwent wide excision of the tumour with neck dissection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both recovered uneventfully with regular follow-up in the outpatient clinic.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There should be a high index of suspicion in patients with persistent calcifications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore.
authors.forename: D T W
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Teo
authors.forename: A H C
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Loy
authors.forename: Y H
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Goh
authors.forename: Y M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Chan
mesh_terms: D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004947:Esophagus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D033162:Incidental Findings; D008875:Middle Aged; D010614:Pharynx / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011859:Radiography; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*