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CASE REPORT article

Front. Med.
Sec. Pathology
Volume 11 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fmed.2024.1458606

Age-related immunosenescence and Epstein-Barr virus-positive mucocutaneous ulcer presenting as oral cancer: a case report

Provisionally accepted
Jiayuan Ye Jiayuan Ye 1Shengqiang Ji Shengqiang Ji 2Zhouxiao Wu Zhouxiao Wu 3Genhua Ma Genhua Ma 4Jing Chen Jing Chen 5Shimin Wu Shimin Wu 6*Yilian Xie Yilian Xie 7*
  • 1 Department of infectious diseases, Shangyu people's Hospital Of Shaoxing, Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province, China
  • 2 Ningbo Clinical Pathology Diagnosis Center, ningbo, China
  • 3 Health Science Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China., Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, China
  • 4 Department of dermatology，Shangyu People's Hospital Of Shaoxing,Shaoxing, shaoxing, China
  • 5 Department of dermatology，Shangyu People's Hospital Of Shaoxing, shaoxing, China
  • 6 Department of gastroenterology,Shangyu People's Hospital Of Shaoxing, shaoxing, China
  • 7 Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Epstein-Barr virus-positive mucocutaneous ulcer (EBVMCU) is a rare condition characterized by skin or mucosal lesions resulting from defective immune surveillance of EBV due to immunosuppression, which can be iatrogenic or age-related. It represents a benign lymphoproliferative disorder that clinically may mimic malignant tumors. However, EBVMCU typically progresses slowly and often resolves spontaneously without specific treatment, emphasizing the critical need for differential diagnosis from malignancies. Here, we report a case of EBVMCU in an elderly patient demonstrating ulcers on the oral mucosa, buccal area, and maxillary mucosa with associated bone destruction, which was initially suspected to be an oral malignancy but was confirmed as EBVMCU through biopsy. This case underscores the importance of considering EBVMCU in elderly patients with unexplained persistent mucosal ulcers to exclude malignancies.Additionally, attention should be given to unhealthy lifestyle habits such as smoking and drinking, as well as poor oral hygiene, which are potential factors that increase the risk of this disease and contribute to worse prognoses.

    Keywords: Epstein-Barr virus1, Epstein-Barr virus-positive mucocutaneous ulcer2, Age-related immunosuppression3, Mandibular necrosis4, Case report5

    Received: 02 Jul 2024; Accepted: 31 Dec 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Ye, Ji, Wu, Ma, Chen, Wu and Xie. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    Shimin Wu, Department of gastroenterology,Shangyu People's Hospital Of Shaoxing, shaoxing, China
    Yilian Xie, Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, China

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