Oral squamous cell carcinoma in human immunodeficiency virus positive patients: clinicopathological audit.

BACKGROUND Most human immunodeficiency virus positive patients now have a longer life expectancy, with the advent of highly active antiretroviral therapy. However, they are now at increased risk of developing a malignancy during their lives. AIM To investigate the age at which oral squamous cell carcinoma presents in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus. STUDY DESIGN Prospective, clinicohistopathological audit of patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus. RESULTS Of 200 human immunodeficiency virus positive patients, 16 (8 per cent) presented with oral squamous cell carcinoma (nine women and seven men; age range 18-43 years, mean age 31.7 years). The majority of patients (62.5 per cent) had stage III and IV disease (tumour-node-metastasis staging). There was a predilection for poorly differentiated oral squamous cell carcinoma (using Broder's histopathological classification). CONCLUSION Oral squamous cell carcinoma associated with human immunodeficiency virus infection appears to present at a relatively young age.