title: Primary temporal region squamous cell carcinoma diagnosed by a superficial temporal artery biopsy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Superficial temporal artery biopsy is a frequent procedure performed in the diagnosis of giant cell arteritis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  An otherwise healthy 69-year-old man presented with 2months complaint of right temporal region pain. Giant cell arteritis was suspected and a temporal artery biopsy was performed. The histopathology revealed perineural invasion of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). A thorough investigation revealed no other primary site for the SCC and the patient was treated with surgical excision.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Malignancy is rarely found in superficial temporal artery biopsies and lymphoma is the most common malignancy reported. In this rare case, the patient had right temporal pain explained by perineural invasion of a primary SCC in the right temporal region, which was treated with surgical excision guided by perioperative fresh frozen histology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Rigshospitalet/National Hospital of Denmark, Blegdamsvej 9, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark. Electronic address: stevenarild@gmail.com.
authors.forename: S A W
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Rigshospitalet/National Hospital of Denmark, Blegdamsvej 9, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kiss
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005153:Facial Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D013700:Giant Cell Arteritis / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D013699:Temporal Arteries / Q000473:pathology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Perineural invasion; Squamous cell carcinoma; Temporal artery biopsy; Temporal region pain; Unknown primary