The most common histologic type of carcinoma of the oral cavity is
A. AdenocarcinomaB. Clear cell carcinoma
C. Large cell undifferentiated carcinoma
D. Squamous cell carcinoma
The answer is d.
Carcinoma
of the oral cavity accounts for approximately 5% of all human malignancies.
More than 90% of oral carcinomas are of the squamous cell type; precursor
lesions include leukoplakia (dysplastic leukoplakia) and erythroplasia, with
transformation rates of approximately 15 and 50%, respectively. Oral carcinoma
is more common in males. Smoking, tobacco chewing, chronic irritation, heat
exposure, and irradiation are all thought to contribute to carcinogenesis. The
lower lip is the most common site, followed by the floor of the mouth, the
anterior tongue, the palate, and the posterior tongue. Prognosis varies
according to site but is best for lesions of the lip and worst for lesions in
the floor of the mouth.
