title: Unusual presentation of squamous cell carcinoma of the maxilla in an 8-year-old child.
abstract: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is extremely rare in patients younger than 20 years of age. We present here a case of OSCC of the maxillary alveolar ridge in an otherwise healthy 8-year-old patient. The clinicohistologic presentation was not typical for mucosal SCC, and the possibility of an intrabony origin from the odontogenic epithelium was considered. The patient was treated with surgical resection, and treatment decisions were made with consideration of the need for eradication of tumor as well as tissue preservation to allow normal growth and development. A review of the literature indicated a preponderance of gingival-alveolar ridge as the site of OSCC in children with no known genetic predisposition to cancer. More studies of this rare subset of OSCC will help understand the underlying biology and guide treatment decisions.
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Oral Pathology & Oral Medicine, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada. Electronic address: marco.magalhaes@utoronto.ca.
authors.forename: Marco A O
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Magalhaes
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Division of Pathology, SickKids Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
authors.forename: Gino R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Somers
authors.affiliation: Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Department of Dentistry, SickKids Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sikorski
authors.affiliation: Professor, Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, SickKids Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
authors.forename: Vito
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Forte
authors.affiliation: Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon, Private Practice, Toronto, Canada.
authors.forename: Moustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abouzgia
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Pediatric Dentistry, SickKids Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Barrett
authors.affiliation: Professor, Oral Pathology & Oral Medicine, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
authors.forename: Grace
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bradley
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D002648:Child; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008441:Maxillary Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D009367:Neoplasm Staging