Lingual Actinomycosis Mimicking Lingual Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC)

Abstract

Actinomycosis is an infection caused by Actinomyces israelii and mainly affects cervicofacial areas. In women, other regions, such as the chest, abdomen, and pelvic cavity can involve actinomycosis. Actinomycosis lesions in the oral cavity can cause pain, swelling, induration, pus discharge, and discomfort similar to other benign or malignant pathologies. This condition can mimic lingual cancer, such as squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), which is highly invasive with a poor prognosis. It is necessary to distinguish actinomycosis from SCC and other malignancies to choose the proper treatment. The current study presents a patient with a suspicious lingual mass for SCC diagnosed as actinomycosis after partial glossectomy and pathological studies.

Keywords: Actinomycosis; carcinoma; squamous cell; squamous cell carcinoma.

Figure 1

Post-surgical patient's microscopic images. (a) GMS stain, ×100 magnification: GMS stain showed dark colonies of filamentous bacteria in a light green background. Peripheral eosinophilic club-shaped thin filaments with central basophilic areas. (b) H and E stain, ×100 magnification: Inflammation surrounding filamentous bacteria along with sulfur granule formation in tonsillar tissues. Abbreviations: GMS = Grocott methenamine silver, H and E = Hematoxylin and eosin