Investigating a case of possible field cancerization in oral squamous cell carcinoma by the use of next-generation sequencing

The low number of shared mutations indicates that either these mutations represent a very early clone in the primary tumor's evolution, or that these mutations represent a pre-neoplastic field, in which the primary tumor and recurrence are derived from. In both instances, the clinical recurrence is of a monoclonal origin which suggests either field cancerization by migration of mutated cells in the adjacent mucosa, or that the recurrence developed out of remaining tumor tissue.