Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Lower Lip Complicating a Recurrent Labial Herpes During HIV Infection: a Case Report

Abstract

Dahlia Noelle Tounouga, Coralie Reine Mendouga Menye and Emmanuel Armand Kouotou

Introduction: Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the main cancer of lips; it is increasingly diagnosed in HIV-positive patients. In most cases, there are factors that promote his occurrence. We report a case of an HIV-positive woman with SCC of the lower lip complicating recurrent labial herpes.

Medical observation: It was a case of a 40-year-old female received in consultation for a painful and ulcerous lesion of her lip lasting 5 months. She was a HIV-positive patient diagnose since 2007 and on Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy since that time. She was taking alcohol, was exposed to sunlight regularly, and had presented many episodes of labial herpes in the past. On clinical examination she had a painful ulcero-crustal medallion measuring 2.5 centimeters in diameter, with a papular edge of pearlescent appearance of the lower lip. Given this clinical picture, the diagnosis of chronic decaying herpes labialis with in differential an epithelial tumor (in particular a squamous cell carcinoma of the lower lip) was mentioned. After surgical excision, an anatomopathological analysis of the part confirmed the diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma. At the time of diagnosis, the patient had a respective CD4 and CD8 level of 939 and 964 cells / mm3 . The evolution was marked 6 weeks later by the scarring with complete epithelialization of the site of the lesion.

Conclusion: SCC of the lips is a frequent cancer occurring during HIV infection; there are many risk factors which promote his occurrence. Earlier the treatment is instituted, better is the prognosis.

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