Oral squamous cell carcinoma in human immunodeficiency virus positive patients: clinicopathological audit

BACKGROUND: Most human immunodeficiency virus positive patients now have a longer life expectancy with the advent of highly active antiretroviral therapy. However they are now at increased risk of developing a malignancy during their lives. AIM: To investigate the age at which oral squamous cell carcinoma presents in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective clinicohistopathological audit of patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus. RESULTS: Of 200 human immunodeficiency virus positive patients 16 (8 per cent) presented with oral squamous cell carcinoma (nine women and seven men; age range 18-43 years mean age 31.7 years). The majority of patients (62.5 per cent) had stage III and IV disease (tumour-node-metastasis staging). There was a predilection for poorly differentiated oral squamous cell carcinoma (using Broders histopathological classification). CONCLUSION: Oral squamous cell carcinoma associated with human immunodeficiency virus infection appears to present at a relatively young age.