Verrucous carcinoma, then and now

The salient clinical and pathological features of verrucous carcinoma, as first described by Ackerman in 1948, are reviewed. Two case reports are presented. The first concerns a personal experience with a patient who had five surgical procedures for multifocal oral verrucous carcinoma and remains alive and well 28 years after her initial treatment. The second report highlights the remarkable story of President Grover Cleveland's secret surgery for verrucous carcinoma of the palate in 1893. Current concepts about the management of this uncommon tumor are reviewed, as well as some recent investigations that deal with its etiology.