Volume 8 • 2021 • Issue 5

Dr. Dua noted that he was a healthy 33-year-old with no history of smoking or chewing tobacco or drinking alcohol. Considering the lack of predisposing conditions for cancer, Dr. Dua and his oral surgeon both thought that it was unlikely that the lesion would be malignant. “We tried a round of prednisone because the symptoms were very close to erosive lichen planus, but that did not resolve. The lesion progressed, and I was getting earaches and constant pain in my lower jaw; I found it hard to sleep and focus at work,” he wrote. Because the treatment had no effect on his condition, the lesion was biopsied. Dr. Dua was then diagnosed with SCC on the left side of his tongue. For more information, visit the Canadian Academy of Oral Maxillofacial Pathology and Oral Medicine (CAOMPOM) website at caompom.org . Every month, the CAOMPOM publishes a case study to increase awareness regarding oral lesions and their management. Learn more about Dr. Manu Dua’s journey in his collection of essays, published posthumously: Life Interrupted, Dr. Dua’s Survival Guide . The book is available at: amazon.com/Life-Interrupted-Duas-Survival-Guide/dp/1736058711 Dr. Dua’s article “Doctor, Heal Thyself” is published on the Dentaltown website at: dentaltown.com/magazine/article/7822/doctor-heal-thyself Listen to the full interview with Dr. Samim on CDA Oasis at: bit.ly/2VpKJiK Dr. Samim also acknowledges that more research needs to be done to help us understand the etiology of this cancer among young adults and to determine other risk factors for oral cancer. “We need to hear from the researchers and the clinicians and put all this information together,” she says. “Traditional risk factors exist, but right now, we have a new trend. Young people with painful lesions might also have cancer.” Dr. Dua presented with symptoms that Dr. Samim is red flagging: a painful lesion on the lateral border of the tongue. Like many 30- to 40-year-old patients with no apparent risk factors, Dr. Dua was prescribed prednisone to treat the lesion. Others would receive a diagnosis of biting or para-functional habits and would have appliances made and anti-inflammatory prescribed. Dr. Samim urges dentists to investigate if a patient presents with these symptoms, even if the patient is young and does not have any risk factors. “Biopsy is not a very aggressive procedure, so do the biopsy—or refer the patient to an oral pathologist—if you see an ulcer on the lateral border of the tongue. Do not wait. These symptoms should be a red flag, based on the trend we’ve seen in the past couple of years.” She feels the dental community can play an important role in the early detection of oral cancer and potentially malignant disorders. Do the biopsy if you see an ulcer on the lateral border of the tongue. Do not wait. These symptoms should be a red flag, based on the trend we’ve seen in the past couple of years. ~ Dr. Firoozeh Samim Dr. Manu Dua (d. March 14, 2021, age 34) SupportingYour Practice