Squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma of the lips: 25 years of experience in a northeast Brazilian population.

BACKGROUND: The lips are the transition zone between the facial skin and the oral mucosa and are the site of alterations related to a broad spectrum of etiologies. Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and basal cell carcinoma (BCC) are the most prevalent neoplasms affecting lips. This study evaluated the demographic and clinicopathological features of the SCC and BCC in the lip. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective cross-sectional descriptive study (1994-2019) was carried out. Demographic and clinicopathologic data were collected from a hospital's dermatological service and an oncologic hospital. The data were submitted to descriptive analysis and Pearson's chi-square and Fisher's exact tests (p ≤ 0.05). RESULTS: 417 medical records were analyzed, of which 323 corresponded to SCC (77.5%) and 94 to BCC (22.5%). SCC showed more frequency in males (58.8%) and BCC in females (54.3%). The lower lip was significantly affected in male patients (p < 0.0001) and by both neoplasms (70.6% and 56.4%, respectively; p = 0.014). SCC and BCC were mainly treated with surgery (88.3% and 93.2%, respectively). Surgical margin was frequently negative in SCC and BCC (87%; 72.3%, respectively), and no recurrence was observed in 79.9% of SCC and 69.1% of BCC cases. CONCLUSIONS: SCC was more frequent in male patients, while BCC showed more frequency in female patients. Both neoplasms mainly affect the lower lip. Understanding the epidemiological profile of these lesions in the lip, as well as their etiology and clinical features, is fundamental for appropriate clinical conduct and the creation and/or amplification of preventive measures.

Mucocutaneous diseases with manifestations in the head and neck region: 24 years of experience in a Dermatology service.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to evaluate the clinicopathological features of mucocutaneous diseases with manifestation in the head and neck region. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis of a dermatology reference center database was carried out. Over 24 years. Clinicopathological data were collected from medical records and the data was analyzed by descriptive statistics. RESULTS: A total of 11.538 medical records were analyzed, being 152 cases of mucocutaneous diseases with manifestations in the head and neck region. Cutaneous lupus erythematosus was the most prevalent diagnosis (66.4%). Face (44.1%), females (79.6%), and patients with 45 years mean age were the most common features. In the oral cavity, the most affected region was the buccal mucosa (37.5%). CONCLUSIONS: Mucocutaneous diseases with head and neck manifestation were rare in the sample analyzed (1.3%), with cutaneous lupus erythematosus and lichen planus being the most common lesions in this region.

Survey for Trypanosoma cruzi infection in a municipality in northeast Brazil.

An epidemiological survey of Trypanosoma cruzi infection was carried out in Bodocó, located in the western part of the State of Pernambuco, Brazil. Two hundred and forty-one individuals were parasitologically and immunologically screened. Although hemoculture did not reveal the presence of parasites in the blood, the sera of 5 individuals were scored as positive by the indirect fluorescence antibody test and the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Seropositivity in individuals above and below the age of 40 was 14.8 and 0.5%, respectively. These results indicate that recent infections with T. cruzi are rare in this area. However, since a T. cruzi-infected triatomid (Triatoma brasiliensis) was captured in a school classroom, this area must be considered endemic. When triatomid feces containing parasites were inoculated into a jird (mongolian gerbil), parasitemia appeared 10 days later. Immunohistochemical staining, using monoclonal antibody specific for T. cruzi, labeled organisms in jird tissues. These observations demonstrate that the jird is a suitable host for experimental T. cruzi infections and that monoclonal antibody is effective for detection of the parasite in host tissues.

A monoclonal antibody against blood forms of Trypanosoma cruzi lyses the parasite in vitro and inhibits host cell invasion.

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) of the IgM isotypes were produced from mice immunized with blood forms of Trypansoma cruzi Y strain. Characterization of the epitope recognized by one of the mAbs, 164C11, as well as the effects of this mAb on complement-mediated lysis and host cell invasion are reported. Immunocytochemical analysis showed that the mAb was reactive with various strains of T. cruzi (Y, WSL, and Colombiana) as well as other trypanosomatids. The mAb 164C11 demonstrated a high complement-mediated lytic activity against bloodstream trypomastigotes, being more effective than chronic mouse serum. A protein with an apparent molecular weight of 72 kDa was detected by this mAb on all developmental stages of T. cruzi. Studies using periodate and endoglycosidase treatments suggested that the epitope is not a carbohydrate and seems to be located on the parasite membrane. In addition, preliminary results are presented, suggesting that the 72-kDa protein is involved in adhesion/or internalization of bloodstream trypomastigotes.

Esquistossomose murina esperimental: estudo imunohistoquímicos das células ganglionares mioentéricas / Experimental murine Schistosomiasis: an immunohistochemical study of the ganglionic myoenteric cells

Para estudar a influência do processo granulomatoso esquistossomóticosobre as células ganglionares mioentéricas, foram utilizados 30 camundongos albinos Swiss infectadoscom 50 cercárias da cepa SLM do S. mansoni.O grupo controle foi constituído por dez animais näo infectados. Após sessenta dias de infecçäo, cortes histológicos do intestino delgadocorados por hematoxilina-eosina e P.A.S. demonstraram granulomas periovulares em todas as camadas da parede intestinal. Através do método imunohistoquímico indireto, usando-se a enolase neurônio-específica como marcador, observou-se desorganizaçäo do plexo mioentêrico em áreas contendo granulomas. Além disso, ocorreu rarefaçäo das estaçöes ganglionares, com aparente destruiçäo de células neuronais. A possível contribuiçäo dessas alteraçöes para a sintomatologia da esquistossomose humana é avaliada

Localization of the Trypanosoma cruzi-specific Mr 25,000 antigen by immune electron microscopy using monoclonal antibodies.

Two monoclonal antibodies reacted with the Trypanosoma cruzi-specific antigen of an apparent Mr 25,000 from all developmental forms (Tachibana et al. 1986). This T. cruzi-specific antigen was found at the plasma membrane by immunoperoxidase electron microscopy using the monoclonal antibodies TCF48 and TCF87. The TCF48 and TCF87-treated cells showed stain deposits at the plasma membrane clearly distinguishable from those in cells treated with a monoclonal antibody against a surface antigen. This suggests that the epitope(s) of the Mr 25,000 antigen is located on the inner surface or in the matrix of the plasma membrane. TCF48 and TCF87 also reacted with an antigen on the microtubules of the axoneme, but not with the subpellicular microtubules. These results suggest that the T. cruzi-specific Mr 25,000 antigen is common to both the plasma membrane and axoneme but it is not located at the subpellicular microtubules. Its identity and that of the surface antigen, Gp25 (Scharfstein et al. 1983) as well as its role in the pathogenicity of the parasite are discussed.