Development of squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue during induction chemotherapy for acute myeloid leukemia

Immunosuppression is a well-recognized cause of skin tumors, in particular squamous cell carcinomas (SCC). In patients with hematological malignancies undergoing chemotherapy, SCC has been reported late in the course of the disease or many years after completion of treatment. Here we report a patient with acute myeloid leukemia who developed a SCC of the tongue while receiving the third course of induction chemotherapy. This is the second such case in the medical literature. The role of immunosuppression, chemotherapy, the malignancy itself and possible genetic predisposition is discussed and the literature on this topic is reviewed.