Squamous Cell Carcinoma — ORE Part 1 MCQ
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Correct answer: D — Squamous cell carcinoma
Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) accounts for over 90% of all oral malignancies. It arises from the stratified squamous epithelium lining the oral cavity (tongue, floor of mouth, buccal mucosa, hard palate, lips). The other options are all rare: adenocarcinoma (~10%) typically originates from minor salivary glands; basal cell carcinoma is primarily a skin lesion and almost never occurs intraorally; mucoepidermoid carcinoma is a salivary gland tumour with mixed histology, not squamous; lymphoma is a systemic haematologic malignancy, not a primary mucosal lesion. Every dentist must recognise SCC as the overwhelmingly predominant oral cancer type for early detection and referral.
Reference: Royal Marsden NHS Trust. Mouth cancer: causes, types and treatments. 2022. https://www.royalmarsden.nhs.uk/private-care/news-and-blogs/mouth-cancer-causes-types-and-treatments