Neglected Under Lip Cancer

Abstract

The lip represents an anatomical area of the interface between the skin and oral mucosa. It is, therefore, not entirely surprising that SCC of the lip exhibits mixed features between cutaneous and oral mucosal SCC, namely regarding risk factors and biological behaviour. The main risk factors for lip SCC include ultraviolet radiation exposure, low phototype, tobacco and alcohol use, and immunosuppression. Lip SCC usually presents clinically as a nodule or a tumour with a keratotic surface that commonly ulcerates. There is often a background of actinic cheilitis. The particularly exuberant presentation of our case can most probably be explained by the long evolution of a tumour before the patient reached medical attention. Patients with regional lymph node metastasis are usually offered regional lymph node dissection (usually of the neck). Radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy may be used in advanced cases, particularly in unresectable tumours, tumours with high-risk features and metastatic disease. The large size of a tumour in our case, most probably due to its long evolution, highlights the importance of timely diagnosis to avoid such extreme presentations and the consequent need for more aggressive treatment.