Lingual subgemmal neurogenous plaques with pseudoepitheliomatous hyperplasia: incidental pseudomalignant condition

Abstract

Pseudoepitheliomatous hyperplasia is a reactive proliferation of benign squamous epithelium that can mimic squamous cell carcinoma. Herein is a report on this type of reaction on two subgemmal neurogenous plaques in a lingual circumvallate papilla. To the authors' knowledge this is the first report on this combination of lesions. A 66-year-old man died with disseminated squamous cell carcinoma of the lung. At autopsy the tongue was found to have an incidental pseudoepitheliomatous hyperplasia on two subgemmal neurogenous plaques with ganglion cells. Subgemmal neurogenous plaque should be included in the differential diagnosis of causes of lingual pseudoepitheliomatous hyperplasia. Awareness of the morphological spectrum of subgemmal neurogenous plaques can avoid the overdiagnosis of these lesions as neural tumors or squamous cell carcinoma.