A 52-year-old man presents with an ulcer in the floor of his mouth of 8 weeks' duration. The lesion measures 1 ´ 2 cm, is indurated, and is slightly uncomfortable for the patient. What should the clinician do at this point in time?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

An ulcer in the floor of the mouth that has been present for 8 weeks and is indurated and uncomfortable should be biopsied to rule out malignancy. This is especially important in older patients who are at higher risk for oral cancer. Observation or treatment with medications such as prednisone or nystatin would not be appropriate at this point without a definitive diagnosis. Direct immunofluorescence testing may be useful in certain cases but is not the first-line approach in evaluating a potential malignancy.

A 52-Year-Old Man Presents with an Ulcer in the Floor