Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common form of cutaneous neoplasia in humans, and dermoscopy may provide valuable information for histopathological classification of BCC, which allows for the choice of non-invasive topical or surgical therapy. Similarly, dermoscopy may allow for the identification of incipient forms of BCC that cannot be detected in clinical examination. The importance of early diagnosis using the dermoscopy of superficial BCC forms is proven by the fact that despite their indolent clinical appearance, they can be included in high-risk BCC forms due to the rate of postoperative recurrence. Nodular pigmentary forms of BCCs present ovoid gray-blue nests or multiple gray-blue dots/globules associated with arborized vessels, sometimes undetectable on clinical examination. The management of BCC depends on this, as pigmentary forms have been shown to have a poor response to photodynamic therapy. High frequency ultrasound examination (HFUS) aids in the diagnosis of BCC with hypoechoic tumour masses, as well as in estimating tumour size (thickness and diameter), presurgical margin delineation, and surgical planning. The examination is also useful for determining the invasion of adjacent structures and for studying local recurrences. The use of dermoscopy in combination with HFUS allows for optimisation of the management of the oncological patient.

Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a complex chronic inflammatory disorder in which autocytotoxic CD8 + T cells, locally present in the affected tissue, induce basal keratinocyte apoptosis, through the release of several cytokines, such as interleukin-6 (IL-6). IL-6 is a proinflammatory cytokine that is related to alterations in lipid metabolism in psoriasis patients. Impaired lipid metabolism together with high serum levels of triglycerides have been found in association with OLP. However, the correlation between serum levels of IL-6 and dyslipidemia has not yet been studied in this disorder. The present study aimed to demonstrate the association between OLP, systemic inflammation through increased release of inflammation mediators such as IL-6 and alteration of lipid metabolism, in order to support the concept of OLP as a marker of systemic inflammation and a potential risk factor of cardiovascular morbidities. For this purpose, we designed a case-control study using a cohort of 18 patients with different clinical forms of OLP compared with 18 control group patients with other oral conditions, to identify a potential correlation between serum levels of IL-6 and serum lipid levels. High plasma serum levels of IL-6 were found to be correlated with cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglyceride serum levels in the patients with OLP. There was a significant association between erosive and atrophic clinical forms of OLP and the pathological serum values of IL-6 and triglycerides, respectively, making these two parameters good predictive factors of the clinical form of OLP. Further studies of other biomarkers of systemic inflammation using larger cohorts of OLP patients are necessary in order to consider LP as a marker of systemic inflammation and to support the screening of these patients for lipid metabolism changes and treatment with specific antagonists in order to prevent cardiovascular events.

According to literature data, potentially premalignant oral lesions are the basis of over 85% of cell carcinomas. Despite multiple advances achieved during the last few decades in the diagnosis and treatment of oral squamous cell carcinomas, there has not been a significant change in the prognosis and 5-year survival rate. The prevention of malignant transformation of these tumors by diagnosis and targeted treatment would be the ideal scenario. These potentially premalignant oral lesions represent an important subject for either the clinical or the research field, due to the higher malignant transformation observed in the last few years at different ages. To date, histopathological examination based on TNM criteria is considered the ‘golden standard’. However, this type of examination has its limitation due to staining procedures and photonic microscope examination. Identification of cellular and molecular markers specific to these oral lesions with potentially malignant transformation could lead to early detection, accurate diagnosis, prevention of the development of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and facilitate a targeted therapeutic approach. In this review, we focused on a series of molecules that are implicated in the malignant transformation of these lesions and considered potential biomarkers.

The results of the recent years researches support the need for personalized therapeutic of cancer by completing the clinical, imagistic and histopathological diagnosis with molecular studies to identify new useful biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis and tumor progression. Maspin is a non-inhibitory serine protease having a proapoptotic activity, suppressor of tumor invasion, metastasis and angiogenesis. Ezrin is a member of Ezrin/Radixin/Moesin (ERM) family, involved in cellular adhesion mechanisms, motility and invasiveness of tumor cells. In colorectal tumors, there is a heterogeneity of research results regarding the clinical significance of the maspin due to a possible partnership with other molecules with which it interacts through the same signaling pathways. Our study investigated the two molecule�s immunoreactivity (IR) in 92 colorectal tumors highlighting an inverse correlation between ezrin�s and maspin�s expression, suggesting the fact that ezrin�s overexpression could influence maspin�s tumoral suppressor role. Furthermore there was observed a difference of the molecules IR within the same tumoral stage, suggesting their utility regarding the treatment protocol of these tumors.

Cyclodextrins (CDs), a group of oligosaccharides formed by glucose units bound togetherin a ring, showed a promising ability to form supramolecular complexes with drug molecules and improved theirphysicochemical properties without any molecular modifications. On the other hand, a large number of synthetic curcumin derivatives showed promising anticancer results on malignant cell cultures in recent years. This study presents the advantages and limitations of CDs (potential enhancers of solubility and stability) when are used together with a series of curcumin complexes. All the CD-curcumin complex mixtures were tested as potential anticancer agents on a human osteosarcoma cell culture. A variant of beta-cyclodextrin (monochlorotriazinyl-β-cyclodextrin sodium salt) was found to exhibit the best results in terms of solubility and cytotoxicity enhancements. The results(expressed as inhibitory concentrations for 50 % cell viability - IC50) showed significant improvements for manganese and cooper curcumin complexes and had no effects for boron and thorium complexes.