Malignant tumors of oral cavity in children: cases presentation

Introduction. Squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue is a very rare disease among children, with only a few cases reported in the literature. The tongue is the most common site for oral malignancy. The main contributing factors to pelvilingual cancer are constant irritants of the oral mucosa, such as tobacco, alcohol, and dentures. In children, however, the risk factors are immunosuppression induced by a hemopathy such as Fanconi anemia or by chemotherapy, Xeroderma Pigmentosum Syndrome or KID (keratitis, ichthyosis, deafness), Plummer-Vinson syndrome. Cases presentations. The authors present two cases of children, 12 and 15 years old, diagnosed with pelvilingual malignant neoplasia, for which review of the clinical manifestations, the methods of diagnosis and treatment used, but also the evolution will be described. Conclusions. Clinical symptoms of tongue cancer are similar to other types of neoplastic diseases developed in the oral cavity (for example oral floor neoplasm). Confirmation of the diagnosis is made by histopathological examination of the tissue specimen obtained from the tumor site. Therapy has a complex multimodal approach and includes, depending on staging, general condition, and the patient’s option, primary and adjuvant methods. Surgery followed by radio-, chemo-, immunotherapy are the preferred methods. Another possibility is tumor stage conversion by radio-, chemo- and immunotherapeutic treatment, followed by surgery. In some cases, surgery is an ultimate method of therapy, a salvage therapy.