Suspicious Oral Ulcer — NDEB AFK MCQ

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EasyOral MedicineSuspicious Oral UlcerNDEB AFK

An oral ulcer that is painless, indurated with rolled borders, and does not heal within 3 weeks should raise suspicion for which condition?

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Correct answer: D — Squamous cell carcinoma

A non-healing ulcer (>3 weeks) with indurated, rolled, everted borders is the classic presentation of oral squamous cell carcinoma. All such lesions require urgent biopsy. The '2-week rule' in many jurisdictions mandates referral of any unexplained oral mucosal lesion persisting for more than 2-3 weeks. Risk factors include smoking, alcohol, betel quid, and HPV. Early detection significantly improves 5-year survival.

Reference: Neville – Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, 4th ed., 2016