Hybrid Verrucous Carcinoma: A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing Case Report and Integrative Review of 280 Cases

Abstract

Hybrid verrucous carcinoma (HVC) is defined as a rare neoplasm in which there is histopathological evidence of verrucous carcinoma and microscopic foci of squamous cell carcinoma, synchronously in the same site, affecting behavior and prognosis. This study aimed to present a new case of HVC in the mouth, and critically and comparatively analyze the cases reported in literature, to better understand the biological behavior and contribute to diagnostic precision. A review was performed using six databases, and the gray literature. Twenty-two articles were selected, with a total of 280 cases. The most frequent clinical appearance was verrucous carcinoma which included benign lesions. This implies that the potential for aggressive behavior can be detected microscopically, in the form of a ruptured basement membrane, which visualization can be facilitated by the use of some immunohistochemical markers discussed here. This is important for the diagnosis of HVC and adequate treatment. Hybrid verrucous carcinoma is what can be thought of as "a wolf in sheep's clothing." When analyzing cases with clinical suspicion of verrucous carcinoma microscopically, great attention is recommended, since they may be HVC and can recur, metastasize, and lead to death.