Oral Spindle Cell Carcinoma Presented as a Deep Neck Infection in a Patient with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus-A Rare Case Report

Oral cancer is relatively superficial and more easily detectable than other malignancies. Most patients with oral cancer receive medical treatment, because lesions appear in their oral cavity. Cancer can increase the risk of contracting a severe infection, which may mask cancer detection. Here, we present a rare case of oral cancer presented as a deep neck infection; the case provides useful insights for clinical application. A 58-year-old woman with a history of poorly controlled hyperglycemia was sent to our emergency room because of a severe deep neck infection. After tracing her medical history, we found that she had developed a severe cellulitis of the right face with sepsis 8 months previously. On examining her neck infection, the left buccal, submandibular space and neck area were swollen with sepsis again. A considerable amount of pus had accumulated in the left submandibular space, as detected using computed tomography. Urgent incision and drainage were performed, and some necrotic tissue was collected for pathological examinations. The spindle cell carcinoma, a rare and lethal malignancy with neck metastasis, was diagnosed. Cancer progressed fairly rapidly, and the patient expired 2 months later.