title: Oral cancer: clinical features.
abstract: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a well-known malignancy that accounts for more than 90% of all oral cancers. In this article we will perform a brief review of its clinical characteristics and the differential diagnosis. Regarding symptoms, pain is the most frequent presentation and the tongue and the floor of the mouth have the highest occurrence. OSCC in its initial stages shows an erytholeukoplastic area without symptoms but in advanced stages there are ulcers and lumps with irregular margins which are rigid to touch. The different diagnosis should be established with other oral malignant diseases such as lymphomas, sarcomas and metastasis, which have rapid growth rates as opposed to the typical OSCC.
authors.affiliation: Valencia University, Department of Stomatology, University General Hospital, Valencia, Spain. bagan@uv.es
authors.forename: Jose
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bagan
authors.forename: Gracia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sarrion
authors.forename: Yolanda
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jimenez
mesh_terms: D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology* / Q000556:secondary; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology; D012307:Risk Factors