Oral leukoplakia manifests differently in smokers and non-smokers

Oral leukoplakias (OL) are potentially malignant lesions that are typically white in color. Smoking is considered a risk factor for developing OL, and dysplastic lesions are more prone to malignant transformation. The aim of this study was to describe the clinical features observed in dysplastic and non-dysplastic OL in both smokers and non-smokers. A total of 315 cases of OL were retrieved and separated into either dysplastic or non-dysplastic lesions, and these cases were further categorized as originating in either smokers or non-smokers. Frequencies of the type of OL lesion, with respect to whether the patients smoked, were established. The results demonstrated that 131 cases of OL were dysplastic (74 smokers and 57 non-smokers), and 184 were non-dysplastic (96 smokers and 88 non-smokers). For OL cases in smokers for which information about alcohol consumption was also available (84 cases), the results revealed no significant difference in the amount of dysplastic and non-dysplastic lesions. Dysplastic lesions were more frequent in male smokers and in non-smoking females. The median age of smokers with cases of OL was significantly lower than in non-smokers; the lowest median ages were observed for female smokers with dysplastic OL. The most frequent anatomical sites of dysplastic lesions were the floor of the mouth in smokers and the tongue in non-smokers. Dysplastic lesions in smokers were significantly smaller than non-dysplastic lesions in non-smokers. Being a male smoker, being female, being younger, and having smaller lesions were associated with dysplastic features in OL. These clinical data may be important for predicting OL malignant transformation.

Detecção do papilomavírus humano em lesões verrucosas orais por meio da técnica de hibridização in situ / Detection of human papillomavirus in oral warts using in situ hybridization

Objetivo: Analisar a prevalência do papilomavírus humano e seus subtipos em 50 lesões verrucosas orais, sendo 20 papilomas, 17 condilomas acuminados e 13 verrugas vulgares. Método: O método de escolha foi a hibridização in situ utilizando sondas biotiniladas de amplo espectro para papilomavírus humano e sondas específicas para papilomavírus humano 6/11, papilomavírus humano 16/18 e papilomavírus humano 31/33. Resultados: Dez dos 50 casos (20%) de lesões verrucosas orais apresentaram positividade para a reação de hibridização in situ para a sonda de amplo espectro, sendo três (3/20) papilomas, cinco (5/17) condilomas e duas (2/13) verrugas vulgares. Destes, oito (16%) apresentaram positividade para a sonda papilomavírus humano 6/11, sendo cinco condilomas acuminados, um papiloma e duas verrugas vulgares. Três casos (6%) apresentaram positividade para a sonda papilomavírus humano 16/18, sendo dois casos de condilomas acuminados e o outro caso de papiloma. Dos seis casos positivos para a sonda papilomavírus humano 31/33 (12%), quatro eram condilomas e dois eram papilomas. Conclusão: A presença do papilomavírus humano (20%) encontrada neste estudo foi baixa, porém dentro da média encontrada na literatura, mostrando que a hibridização in situ pode não detectar a presença de DNA viral quando em quantidades pequenas; nestes casos, a realização de outros métodos de detecção de papilomavírus humano pode ser necessária.

Objective: The human papillomavirus is a group of DNA epitheliotrophic viruses associated with the etiology of benign and malignant oral warts. More than 100 types have been identified and among them, 24 have been found into the oral cavity. The aim of this study was to analyze human papillomavirus prevalence and its subtypes in 50 oral warts, of which 20 were squamous papillomas, 17 condyloma acuminatum and 13 verruca vulgaris. Method: In situ hybridization was used with biotinylated DNA probes for wide-spectrum HPV and with specific probes for human papillomavirus 6/11, human papillomavirus 16/18 and human papillomavirus 31/33. Results: Human papillomavirus was present in ten (20%) of the 50 oral wart cases, 03 (3/20) squamous papillomas, 05 (5/17) condyloma acuminatum and 02 (2/13) verruca vulgaris. Of these, 8 (16%) were positive to the HPV probe 6/11 being 5 condyloma acuminatum, 1 squamous papilloma and 2 verruca vulgaris. Three cases (6%) demonstrated positivity to the human papillomavirus probe 16/18, with 2 being cases of condyloma and the other a case of squamous papilloma. Of the six positive cases to the human papillomavirus probe 31/33, (12%) 4 were condyloma acuminatum and 2 squamous papillomas. Conclusion: The human papillomavirus expression (20%) found in this study was low, but within the average found in the literature. Nonetheless, in addition to in situ hybridization, other methods may be necessary for confirming the presence of human papillomavirus.

Comparison between immunohistochemical expression of cyclin D1 and p21 and histological malignancy graduation of oral squamous cell carcinomas

A proposição desse trabalho foi correlacionar a expressão das proteínas ciclina D1 e p21 em 28 casos de carcinomas epidermóides de boca, e comparar a expressão das mesmas com os escores histológicos de malignidade atribuídos para essa neoplasia. A expressão das proteínas foi obtida através da utilização da técnica imuno-histoquímica da Streptoavidina-Biotina. A análise estatística revelou não haver correlação entre a expressão da ciclina D1 e do p21 nos carcinomas epidermóides estudados. Não houve correlação entre os números médios de núcleos ciclina D1 e p21 positivos e os escores histológicos de malignidade atribuídos para os carcinomas estudados. Entretanto, houve uma ligeira tendência de maior expressão da ciclina D1 nos tumores de alto grau de malignidade, isso provavelmente ocorreu devido a maior atividade proliferativa desses tumores. Já a alta expressão encontrada para o p21 nos tumores estudados sugere que ele sozinho parece ser um ineficiente supressor tumoral.