Squamous cell carcinoma in Sjogren’s syndrome – case report, management and review of literature

Sjogren’s syndrome (SS) is a chronic autoimmune disorder most commonly associated with lymphoproliferative malignancies, while epithelial tumours are rarely encountered. A patient with primary SS developed a persistent swelling on the lateral tongue, initially reported as inflammatory on biopsy and managed conservatively. Persistent symptoms led to re-evaluation, which revealed well-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Surgical management included partial glossectomy with supraomohyoid neck dissection. Recovery was uneventful, followed by referral for adjuvant radiotherapy. This case highlights the diagnostic difficulty of distinguishing inflammatory from malignant lesions in SS, particularly when initial biopsies are benign. The occurrence of SCC in the absence of conventional risk factors suggests a possible role of autoimmune mechanisms or alternative oncogenic pathways. Awareness of this uncommon association is essential, and persistent oral lesions in patients with SS warrant thorough and repeated evaluation.