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Higher expression of VEGF and MMP-9 in KCOTs could be responsible for the aggressive behavior of this cyst that is currently considered a cystic tumor rather than a developmental cyst.

Abstract:Background and objectives: Microinvasive oral squamous cell carcinoma is an early stage malignancy characterized by invasion of superficial lamina propria without invasion of deeper structures. These lesions have a varied clinical presentation, minimal lymphatic involvement and a better prognosis. However, there is no clear consensus on its diagnosis and subsequent management. The aim of this study is to assess the depth of invasion of confirmed cases of microinvasive oral squamous cell carcinoma using special stains and immunohistochemistry with clinical correlation of these lesions.Method: Tissue specimen of clinically diagnosed cases of oral leukoplakia (n=90), oral submucous fibrosis (n=60) and oral carcinoma (n=50) were microscopically evaluated for the presence of microinvasion by two independent examiners. The next step involved confirming the basement membrane breach by using Periodic acid Schiff (PAS) stain for evaluating the integrity of basement membrane. The confirmed cases were assessed using special stain and immunohistochemistry to measure the depth of invasion and were further correlated with the clinical features.Results: A total of 29 cases were confirmed as microinvasive OSCC. These included clinically diagnosed 11 cases of leukoplakia, 7 cases of OSMF and 11 cases of carcinoma. Median age at diagnosis was 46 yrs; males (69%) were more affected than females (31%). The predominant risk factor was tobacco chewing alone (31.03%) which was in the form of gutkha and arecanut; common site was buccal mucosa (76%); predominant clinical presentation was a patch; and histopathology revealed varying grades of epithelial dysplasia. The mean depth of invasion was 31.29 µm (0.03 mm) with the range being 16.91 -66.6 µm (0.02 -0.07 mm). Conclusion:The study suggest that depth of invasion could be a reliable marker to assess microinvasion and that severity of epithelial dysplasia is not a pre-requisite for microinvasive carcinoma.

Abstract:Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common type of skin cancer. The primary established risk factor for BCC is ultraviolet sunlight exposure. Ultraviolet radiation-induced cell damage includes single-stranded breaks and point mutations in DNA. There is increasing evidence that the tumor suppressor gene, patch and other members of the sonic hedgehog signal transduction pathway have an important role in the pathogenesis of BCC. Pigmented BCC is a rare variant with few cases described in English literature in which melanin is produced by melanocytes that colonize the tumor and is present in melanophages located in the surrounding stroma. This paper presents an unusual case of pigmented basal cell carcinoma clinically resembling melanoma.

Ameloblastoma is the most common neoplasm affecting the jaws, arising from the odontogenic epithelium. Despite its locally aggressive nature, it is considered to be benign. The chief histopathological variants of ameloblastoma are the follicular and plexiform types, followed by the acanthomatous and granular cell types. Uncommon variants include desmoplastic, basal cell, clear cell ameloblastoma, keratoameloblastoma and papilliferous keratoameloblastoma. When the desmoplastic type co-exists with other types, it is called as "hybrid" ameloblastoma. There are significant anatomic, histopathological and radiological differences between desmoplastic ameloblastoma and the classical type. The purpose of this article is to report a case and to review the relevant literature, emphasizing peculiar aspects of this unusual lesion.