Peri-Implant Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC): Clinicopathological Features and Staging Issues

Area of Science:

• Oral pathology
• Oncology
• Dental implantology

Background:

• Peri-implant malignancies are predominantly oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs), frequently misdiagnosed as peri-implantitis.
• Limited research addresses the diagnostic challenges of peri-implant OSCCs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To detail the clinicopathological characteristics of peri-implant OSCCs.
• To investigate staging complexities in diagnosing these lesions.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort study (2018-2024) of patients diagnosed with peri-implant OSCCs.
• Descriptive statistics to analyze clinical, radiological, and histological data.
• Evaluation of diagnostic challenges and staging issues.

Main Results:

• Most patients (52.4%) had potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs); 14.3% had prior OSCC.
• Clinical and radiological presentations mimicked peri-implantitis, with deep probing depths (≥10 mm) in 52.0%.
• Histology showed peri-implantitis-like inflammation in 91.6%; late-stage lesions (pTNM III-IV) were 66.7%, with metastases in 25.0%-62.5%.

Conclusions:

• Peri-implant OSCCs are more common in patients with OPMDs or prior OSCC.
• These tumors often necessitate extensive surgical excision, with prognosis heavily influenced by cancer grade.
• The clinical-radiological similarity to peri-implantitis significantly complicates diagnosis.