Tongue carcinoma in an adult Down's syndrome patient: a case report.
BACKGROUND
Cancer of the oral cavity is rare and unusual in Down's syndrome patient. The over all risk is similar to that in adult population.


METHODS
This case report describes a 27 years old male with Down's syndrome, non-smoker, who developed a poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue. The patient underwent a hemiglossectomy without neck dissection followed by a postoperative locoregional radiation therapy to a total tumor-bed dose of 56 Gy and 45 Gy to the neck. Three months later, the patient presented with local tongue recurrence and was treated by Docetaxel and Carboplatin chemotherapy with no significant response. The patient died one month later, 9 months after his initial diagnosis.


CONCLUSIONS
To our knowledge, this is the first case of tongue carcinoma arising in a patient with Down's syndrome. This unique case might not be sufficient to make a significant conclusion on the prognosis and survival of these patients but will increase the awareness about this possibility and will help in the appropriate management of Down's syndrome patients.
Farhat
Fadi S
FS
Hammoud Hospital University Medical Center Saida, Lebanon. drfadi@terra.net.lb
Geara
Fady
F
Natout
Mohamed
M
Serhal
Jamal
J
Daya
Walid
W
D000328:Adult; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy