Two Cases of Actinic Cheilitis Clinically Mistaken for Candidal Infection / 대한의진균학회지

ABSTRACT

Candidiasis is a common fungal infection that usually affects the oral cavity. It is occasionally difficult to diagnose candidiasis because of its various clinical manifestations. Moreover, chronic inflammation of the lips can obscure clarification of its disease entity in patients with chronic cheilitis. Here we aimed to investigate patients with refractory chronic cheilitis who were initially diagnosed with candidiasis. We screened patients with lip lesions that were clinically suspected to have candidiasis. Our two 65-year-old patients with refractory chronic cheilitis were initially diagnosed with candidal infection. Punch biopsies were performed of the lesions and a diagnosis of actinic cheilitis was made in both patients. Since we did not note prominent improvement after conservative treatment and cryotherapy, we applied 0.015% ingenol mebutate gel for further treatment and then observed significant improvement.