Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Tongue in a 21-Year Old Female: A Case Report with Review of the Literature

Background: The incidence of squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue is usually observed in adults, especially men from the fifth to eight decades of life. However, malignancy of the tongue is becoming more frequent in younger adults. This case report describes the occurrence of squamous cell carcinoma in a 21-year old female. The goal of this case report is to create awareness in the medical and dental community that such a malignancy can occur in young patients. Case description: This case report describes the clinical presentation of a young adult who presented with a large exophytic squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue. Due to the invasiveness of the malignancy, treatment required hemiglossectomy with immediate reconstruction. Practical implications: This case report describes a young patient under age 40 diagnosed with cancer of the tongue without the common risk factors, such as tobacco and alcohol consumption. Squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue should be always considered in the diagnosis when examining patients younger than 40 years of age. Biopsy is indicated to avoid a delay of obtaining a definitive diagnosis and early treatment. Further studies are needed to identify the pathogenesis of squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue in patients under age 40.