OBJECTIVE: To draw attention to the diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma in lesions of the nasal vestibule presenting initially with benign and slow course. CASE REPORT: A white male, 73 years old, retired (former policeman), residing in Rio de Janeiro - RJ, a longtime smoker, social drinker, no occupational exposure to chemical agents. He sought the Otolaryngology service complaining of "swelling" in the right nasal wing about 2 ½ years, associated with mild local pain, and with slow progression. She denied bleeding, hyposmia, runny or blocked nose, and weight loss. At ectoscopy, there was bulging right nasal wing with local hyperemia and infiltration of the adjacent skin tissue type orange peel. Anterior rhinoscopy found vegetating lesion ulcer-brown, the edges ill-defined and hard consistency, measuring about 2 cm in right nasal vestibule. We found no locoregional palpable lymphadenopathy. Other aspects of the physical examination showed no changes. Nasal endoscopy and laryngoscopy were consistent with normality. Was requested for diagnostic serology for granulomatosis diseases as well as biopsy of the lesion for histological analysis. The patient returned with negative serology and pathology test results with a diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma. The patient was referred for oncological following. CONCLUSION: Because the symptoms of vestibular carcinoma is rare and its clinical course is indolent, the otolaryngologist should be aware of the examination of this region, even though the asymptomatic patient with nasal complaints places little significance or when a presumptive diagnosis of benign disease.