Angioleiomyoma is an uncommon benign soft tissue tumor usually found in the lower extremities and rarely observed in oral tissues. It is microscopically characterized as a proliferation of smooth muscle cells intermingled with abundant vascular channels. Oral angioleiomyomas affect mostly the lips, palate, buccal mucosa and tongue, and appears as a submucosal painless nodule. Upper lip is seldom affected and only few cases have been reported. We report three additional cases of angioleiomyoma affecting the lips of elderly patients. All lesions were asymptomatic and presented as submucosal nodules of approximately 1cm. Microscopic analysis on H&E sections revealed similar pattern in all cases, showing well-circumscribed and encapsulated tumors characterized by proliferation of smooth muscle cells and large amount of wide vascular spaces of varying sizes. Most tumor cells were immunoreactive for α-smooth muscle actin, desmin and HHF-35. CD34 was also positive on the endothelial cells. All patients were surgically treated and no recurrence was observed so far. The oral pathologists and clinicians should consider this entity when assessing nodular lesions on upper lip.

Ameloblastomas are odontogenic tumors that can present some distinct clinicopathological profiles when comparing different populations and studies. Objectives: The aim of the present study was to analyze the clinicopathological features from a series of ameloblastomas diagnosed in a single Oral Pathology service in Brazil in an 8-year period. Study Design: The files were revised and all cases diagnosed as ameloblastomas in the period were retrieved. All hematoxylin and eosin stained histological slides were reviewed and all clinical and radiological information were obtained through a review of the laboratory forms. Data were descriptively analyzed and a comparison was performed with the different ameloblastomas subtypes. Results: Seventy ameloblastomas composed the final sample, including 57 (81%) solid/multicystic, 9 (13%) unicystic, 2 (3%) desmoplastic and 2 (3%) peripheral ameloblastomas. Mean age of the affected patients was in the forth decade of life and there was a slight male predominance. Most tumors presented as multilocular radiolucencies, were located in the posterior mandible and showed the follicular and plexiform histological patterns. There was no difference on the mean age of the patients affected by solid and unicystic ameloblastomas. Conclusions: The present results showed that the clinicopathological features of the ameloblastomas included in this Brazilian sample were similar to the features described in most other worldwide populations. Key words:Ameloblastoma, solid, unicystic, review, epidemiology, histology.

Noma is a devastating oro-facial necrotic condition affecting debilitated subjects. Oral myiasis is an infectious disease caused by deposition of larval flies in oral wounds and lesions. Oro-facial noma-myiasis association has not been previously reported in the literature. The aim of this paper is to report a case of noma associated with myiasis in a 65-year-old Brazilian male.

BackgroundPeriapical cysts (PC) and periapical granulomas (PG) are the two most common chronic inflammatory periapical diseases, but their clinicoradiological characteristics can vary depending on the methods employed in each study. The aim of the present work was to analyze the clinical and radiological profile of a series of PC and PG diagnosed in a Brazilian population.Material and MethodsThe files of two Oral Pathology laboratories were reviewed and all cases diagnosed as PG and PC were selected for the study. Clinical and radiological information were retrieved and data were tabulated and descriptively and comparatively analyzed.ResultsFinal sample was composed by 647 inflammatory periapical lesions, including 244 PG (38%) and 403 PC (62%). The number of women affected by PG was significantly higher than the number of women affected by PC (p=0.037). Anterior region of the maxilla was the most common affected area for both entities (39% of the cases), but the most common anatomical location of PG (anterior maxilla and posterior maxilla) was different from PC (anterior maxilla and posterior mandible) (p<0.0001). Upper lateral incisor was the most affected tooth. The mean radiological size of the PC was larger than the mean radiological size of the PG (p<0.0001) and PC showed well-defined radiological images more frequently than PG (p<0.0001).ConclusionsPC were more common than PG, both showed predilection for adult females, most lesions affected predominantly the anterior maxilla and PC presented larger mean radiological diameter and well-defined images when compared with PG. Key words:Periapical granuloma, periapical cyst, radicular cyst, diagnosis, Oral Pathology.

BackgroundWnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is essential for the beginning of odontogenesis and may be involved in the development and progression of some odontogenic tumors. Thus, the aim of this study was to comparatively evaluate the immunohistochemical expression of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway proteins in a series of AME and CCOT.Material and MethodsImmunohistochemical reactions were performed using antibodies against Wnt1, Wnt5a and β-catenin in 17 cases of solid AME and 6 cases of CCOT.ResultsIn the AME group, Wnt1 and Wnt5a were identified in the epithelium in most of the cases, and β-catenin was mainly identified in the cytoplasm of the tumoral cells. In the CCOT group, Wnt1 and Wnt5a were identified in the epithelium and in the ghost cells in almost all the cases, and β-catenin was mainly identified in the cytoplasm and in the nuclei of the tumoral cells.ConclusionsThese results contribute to support the importance of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway proteins in AME and CCOT tumorigenesis. The abnormal expression of cytoplasmic and/or nuclear β-catenin appears to contribute to the development of both AME and CCOT. In addition, it is possible that Wnt1 and Wnt5a expression in ghost cells can contribute to its histogenesis in CCOT. Key words:Ameloblastoma, β-catenin, calcifying cystic odontogenic tumor, immunohistochemistry, Wnt.