Mantle cell lymphoma: a rare cause for a swollen palate.

We describe the case of a 68-year-old woman who was referred to the Oral Medicine Department in the Bristol Dental Hospital in November 2018 regarding a mass in the hard palate. The patient was previously diagnosed with stage IV mantle cell lymphoma of the upper tarsal conjunctiva in December 2014. Further investigations revealed lymphomatous deposits in other sites throughout the body. This patient underwent six cycles of chemotherapy, followed by consolidation LACE autograph and maintenance rituximab. While mantle cell lymphoma very rarely presents on the hard palate, knowledge of its clinical features and differential diagnoses is imperative in its accurate diagnosis and appropriate management.

Oral hairy leukoplakia in healthy immunocompetent patients: a small case series.

BACKGROUND: Oral hairy leukoplakia (OHL) is caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and usually presents in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and systemic immunosuppression. It is rarely seen in patients who are immunocompetent. It is clinically characterised as an asymptomatic, soft, white and corrugated lesion that cannot be scraped from the surface it adheres to. METHODS: Immunocompetent patients with OHL attending Bristol Dental Hospital within the last 6 months were identified. EBV infection was demonstrated using EBV in situ hybridization. Clinical features and medical history were determined by reviewing medical records. CASE REPORT: Four cases of OHL in immunocompetent individuals were identified. All lesions were located on the lateral borders of the tongue. DISCUSSION: OHL should be considered as a differential diagnosis for white patches on the lateral borders of the tongue in apparently healthy immunocompetent patients, even when they do not have a typical corrugated appearance. OHL should no longer be regarded as pathognomonic for HIV infection or systemic immunosuppression.