A rapidly growing gingival mass.

CLINICAL PRESENTATION A 71-year-old Korean woman was referred to the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery with a 10-day history of a rapidly growing mass occupying the oral cavity, which was associated with pain and spontaneous bleeding. Clinical examination revealed a soft or slightly firm pedunculated mass approximately 4 5 5 cm in size on the anterior aspect of the lower gingiva. The mass extended to the buccal and lingual vestibule, floor of mouth, and abutted the tongue. The mass was not lobulated and was well vascularized, showed a reddish purple color, and had a smooth, shiny surface with no ulceration. The patient showed neither paresthesia of the lips or chin, nor palpable cervical lymph nodes. Her medical history included controlled hypertension and diabetes mellitus. She had also been diagnosed with asthma and had suffered a cerebrovascular accident, but has completely recovered. There was no history of alcohol intake or smoking. To trace the etiology of the rapidly growing gingival mass and to evaluate the operability, all the laboratory tests and diagnostic workup were performed after she was admitted. Routine complete blood count and blood chemistry tests were within normal limits. There were