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Oral Carcinoma Cuniculatum: Diagnostic Challenges and Emerging Perspectives-Case Report
Toniya Raut1, Neetu Jain1, Shashi Keshwar1
1Department of Oral Pathology, College of Dental Surgery, B. P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal.
Background:
Oral carcinoma cuniculatum (OCC) is a rare subtype of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). It is characterized by a locally aggressive, burrowing lesion associated with an osteolytic defect yet lacks obvious cytological atypia. Although OCC has been described in the literature, its rarity, clinical unfamiliarity, and distinct burrowing pattern frequently result in misdiagnosis or underdiagnosis during incisional biopsy.
Case Description:
This report describes a case of OCC arising on the residual alveolar ridge of a 71-year-old male. Microscopic similarities between conventional SCC and verrucous carcinoma obscure the subtle yet pathognomonic features of OCC. Notably, this case also demonstrates perineural invasion, a finding rarely associated with OCC.
Conclusion:
Oral carcinoma cuniculatum remains underexplored and overlooked. This report aims to contribute to the scientific literature by emphasizing diagnostic procedure, highlighting the rarity, and deceptive clinical and histopathological features of OCC. It underscores the importance of considering OCC in the differential diagnosis when repeated incisional biopsies fail to confirm malignancy in a clinically suspicious lesion.
