Unusual intraoral cancer with unexpected outcome in a patient with xeroderma pigmentosum: an alert for antineoplastic treatment.

Abstract

Xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) is a rare autosomal disorder characterized by extreme sensitivity to ultraviolet radiation. DNA repair mechanisms are impaired, and minimal sun exposure can lead to the development of cutaneous neoplasms in very young patients. Intraoral carcinomas are uncommon and, when present, are located mainly at the tongue tip. We report an unprecedented case of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in the floor of mouth of a 23-year-old woman with XP. The patient was referred to the oncologist, and 2 months after surgical resection, she underwent a single session of chemotherapy plus radiotherapy. However, she died 73 hours after undergoing her first chemotherapy session. Considering the unexpected outcome of this case, we also investigated possible exacerbated adverse effects of antineoplastic treatments (especially cisplatin-based chemotherapy) in patients with XP and reviewed the main characteristics of the disease, especially cases with oral manifestations reported in the literature.