Imagine having a persistent spot on your tongue that just won’t go away for months. That’s exactly what happened to a 72-year-old woman in a fascinating new case report.
She finally decided to see a doctor about the whitish nodule that had been causing her pain while speaking and swallowing. To her surprise, it turned out to be a very rare disorder called oral focal mucinosis (OFM).
OFM is characterized by the excessive production of hyaluronic acid, the same acid found in skincare products. In this case, the acid was being produced by the breakdown of connective tissues in the submucosa, leading to the formation of a lump on the tongue.
Out of the 100 cases reported in literature, OFM has only been documented in the tongue in seven cases, making this an incredibly rare occurrence.
When asked if they had ever encountered a case like this before, the co-author of the paper, Dr. Rosa E. Gómez-Torres, admitted that they were unaware of its existence until this patient came along. Further research is needed to fully understand the exact cause of this condition.
To diagnose the disorder, the doctors had to perform an excisional biopsy and analyze the removed lesion. Fortunately, the lump did not return at the 10-month checkup.
If you ever notice a lump appearing on your body, including in your mouth, it’s important to seek medical attention. According to Dr. Gómez-Torres, the presence of a spontaneous lump is not normal and should be evaluated by a dermatologist or an odontologist.
The study detailing this rare case is published in The American Journal Of Dermatopathology.
[H/T: Live Science]
