Clinical value of oral contrast-enhanced ultrasonography in diagnosis of gastric tumors

BACKGROUND The incidence of gastric cancer remains high,and it is the sixth most common cancer and the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide.Oral contrastenhanced ultrasonography is a simple,non-invasive,and painless method for the diagnosis of gastric tumors.AIM To explore the diagnostic value of oral contrast-enhanced ultrasonography for the detection of gastric tumors.METHODS The screening results based on oral contrast-enhanced ultrasonography and electronic gastroscopy were compared with those of the postoperative pathological examination.RESULTS Among 42 patients with gastric tumors enrolled in the study,the diagnostic accordance rate was 95.2%for oral contrast-enhanced ultrasonography(n=40)and 90.5%for electronic gastroscopy(n=38)compared with postoperative pathological examination.The Kappa value of consistency test with pathological findings was 0.812 for oral contrast-enhanced ultrasonography and 0.718 for electronic gastroscopy,and there was no significant difference between them(P=0.397).For the TNM staging of gastric tumors,the accuracy rate of oral contrast enhanced ultrasonography was 81.9%for the overall T staging and 50%,77.8%,100%,and 100%for T1,T2,T3,and T4 staging,respectively.The sensitivity and specificity were both 100%for stages T3 and T4.The diagnostic accuracy rate of oral contrast-enhanced ultrasonography was 93.8%,80%,100%,and 100%for stages N0,N1-N3,M0,and M1,respectively.CONCLUSION The accordance rate of qualitative diagnosis by oral contrast-enhanced ultrasonography is comparable to that of gastroscopy,and it could be used as the preferred method for the early screening of gastric tumors.

Diagnostic value of lncRNAs as potential biomarkers for oral squamous cell carcinoma diagnosis:a meta-analysis

Objective Several studies have revealed the critical role of long non-coding RNAs(lncRNAs)as biomarkers for diagnosing oral squamous cell carcinoma(OSCC).However,the data remain inconsistent.This meta-analysis was performed to summarize the potential of lncRNAs as OSCC biomarkers.Methods We searched PubMed,Cochrane Library,Web of Science,and China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases for literature published until December 10,2020.Study quality was assessed using Quality Assessment for Studies of Diagnostic Accuracy-2,and sensitivity,specificity,and other measures regarding lncRNAs for OSCC diagnosis were pooled using bivariate meta-analysis models.Data analyses were performed using STATA 14.0.Results Overall,8 studies with 981 cases and 585 controls were included in the pooled analysis.The pooled sensitivity,specificity,positive likelihood ratio,negative likelihood ratio,diagnostic odds ratio,and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve values were as follows:0.76[95%confidence interval(CI),0.65–0.84],0.90(95%CI,0.82–0.95),7.5(95%CI,4.20–13.40),0.27(95%CI,0.18–0.39),28(95%CI,13.00–58.00),0.90(95%CI,0.87–0.93),respectively.Deeks’funnel plot asymmetry test(P=0.56)indicated no potential publication bias.Conclusion Our meta-analytical evidence suggests that lncRNAs could be employed as a potential non-invasive diagnostic tool for OSCC.

Development of a Photodynamic Diagnosis Method for Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Using 5-Aminolevulinic Acid and a Luminescence Plate Reader

Purpose: To establish a simple and accurate photodynamic diagnosis (PDD) method for oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Methods: OSCC cell lines HSC-2, HSC-3, HSC-4, and Sa3, and normal human oral keratinocytes (HOK) were used. First, we examined the amount of cells needed to detect differences in fluorescence intensities for PDD. OSCC cell lines were adjusted to concentrations of 1 × 104 (104), 1 × 105 (105), and 1 × 106 (106) cells/ml. The experimental groups comprised a group with 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA (+)), and a group without 5-ALA (5-ALA (-)). For each OSCC cell line, 100 μl of each concentration of cells of the 5-ALA groups was seeded onto fluorescence plates, and fluorescence intensity was measured at 60-min intervals for 240 min. Results are expressed as the ratio of fluorescence intensity in 5-ALA (+) to 5-ALA (-). As cells at the concentration of 106 cells/ml provided the clearest results, fluorescence intensities of all cell lines were measured using this concentration at 20-min intervals for 700 min using the same methods. Results: The 5-ALA (+) to (-) ratio increased in a cell concentration-dependent manner at 240 min;the ratio was highest with 106 cells/ml and lowest with 104 cells/ml. With 106 cells/ml in the 5-ALA (+) group, fluorescence intensity increased in a metabolic time-dependent manner;the increase was highest in HSC-2 cells, followed by HSC-4 cells, HSC-3 cells, Sa3 cells, and HOK. Fluorescence intensity was significantly enhanced after 40 min in HSC-2, HSC-3, and HSC-4 cells, after 60 min in Sa3 cells, and after 100 min in HOK compared to the 5-ALA (-) group (P < 0.05). Moreover, fluorescence intensity was significantly increased in OSCC cell lines compared to HOK after 40 min. Conclusion: Early detection of OSCC is possible by screening only microplate reader measurements of fluorescence intensity for PDD.

Factors Associated with Late Diagnosis of Oral Cancer

Objective: The aim of the present study was to determine associations between the late diagnosis of oral cancer and demographic/clinical factors. A quantitative cross-sectional study was carried out in 2007. Material and Method: Oral tumors were recorded based on the TNM staging system, with T1 and T2 considered early diagnosis and T3 and T4 considered late diagnosis. Results: Patient age ranged from 30 to 105 years (mean: 64.7). Just over half of the patients (54.9%) resided in urban areas and approximately 1/4 (25.7%) had an agricultural occupation. The majority had smoking habits (89.9%) and consumed alcohol (62.5%). The most frequent tumor site was the tongue (42.4%), followed by the hard palate (19.2%) and lip (12.2%). The majority (70.1%) were in advanced stages (III and IV). A greater percentage of smokers were in advanced stages than non-smokers. The percentage of cases in the early stages was lowest when the tumor was located in the tongue (14.1%) and highest when located in the buccal mucosa (80.0%). Conclusion: The main causes of the late diagnosis of oral cancer are insufficient training on the part of physicians and dentists in the field of pathology, delays on the part of patients in seeking medical assistance and deficient access to quality medical care, reflecting the absence of preventive public health programs and an effective healthcare system.

Analysis of auxiliary diagnosis, cell survival, angiogenesis and nutritional support in patients with oral cancer

Objective:To investigate the changes and clinical significance of auxiliary diagnosis, cell survival, angiogenesis and nutritional support in patients with oral cancer.Methods: 50 patients with oral cancer treated in our hospital from June 2016 to September 2017 were selected as the observation group and 50 healthy people as the control group. The expression levels of auxiliary diagnosis [including secretory immunoglobulin A (SIgA), catalase (CAT)], cell survival [including survivin, focal adhesion kinase (FAK)], angiogenesis [including vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), hepatocyte growth (HGF), urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA)] and nutritional support [including lead (Pb), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu)] related indicators in the two groups were observed and compared.Results:The levels of SIgA [(83.30±6.05) ug/mL], Mg [(1.21±0.17) mmol/L], Fe [(6.75±1.03)mmol/L] and Zn [(87.11±15.31) ug/L] in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group (P<0.05), while the levels of CAT [(39.87±9.18) U/mL], survivin [(131.63±10.53) ng/L], FAK [(62.27±5.20) ng/mL], VEGF[(533.73±150.63)ng/L], HGF[(411.32±181.72)ng/L], uPA[(5.12±1.31)mg/L], Pb[(65.55±20.76)μg/L], Ca[(1.55±0.20)mmol/L] and Cu[(14.90±5.30)μmol/L] were significantly higher than that of the control group. The difference was statistically significant (P<0.05).Conclusions:Patients with oral cancer, the immune function of salivary mucosa decreased and cell survival was abnormal. Oral cancer patients are easy to regenerate tumor blood vessels. Tumor cells and vascular endothelial cells are active in proliferation, migration and invasion. The expression of trace elements is also abnormal, which is not conducive to the nutritional support of the body. The relevant indicators should be strengthened in clinical practice, so as to provide evidence for early diagnosis and treatment of the disease.

Saliva in the diagnosis of diseases

Saliva is secreted from the salivary glands and has multiple functions, including mouth cleaning and protection, antibacterial effects and digestion. With the rapid advancement in salivaomics, saliva is well recognized as a pool of biological markers. Saliva, as a non-invasive and safe source, could be a substitute for blood in the diagnosis and prognosis of diseases. This review summarizes the latest advancements in saliva-related studies and addresses the potential value of saliva in the early diagnosis of oral diseases, such as dental caries and periodontal disease, as well as cancer, diabetes and other systemic disorders. Saliva biomarkers range from changes in the biochemical indices of DNA, RNA and proteins to the diversification of microbiota structures. This study integrates data reported in the recent literature and discusses the clinical significance and prospects for the application of saliva in the early diagnosis of diseases, translational medicine and precision medicine.

Photodynamic therapy of oral leukoplakia and orallichen planus using methylene blue:A pilot study

Premalignant lesions like oral lichen planus(OLP),oral leukoplakia(OL)has a fair probability of transforming into malignancy and they are perverse toward conventional therapies.Photody-namic therapy(PDT)has been considered as an alternative/complimentary therapeutic mo-dality for the management of premalignant lesions.In this study,methylene blue mediated photodynamic therapy(MB-PDT)was used as a possible alternative method for the treatment of OLP and OL.A total of 15 OLP lesions and 13 OL lesions were enrolled in the study.The patients were irradiated 1using metal halide lamp filtered at 630土10nm,with a light exposure dose of 120 J/cm^(2) per stting.For the OLP lesions,MB-PDT was performed once a week for four weeks and for the OL lesions,MB-PDT was performed twice a week for three weeks.Lesions were evaluated pre-and post-and at follow-u sessions by changes in sign and symptom scores,and size of lesions.We have observed a 53.3%of complete reduction in the treated OLP lesions and their decrease in size,sign and symptom score after treatment and at follow-up session was statistially signifcant.We have also observed complete response for one OL lesion of the 13 treated lesions.The result indicates that MB-PDT is an effective modality in management of OLP and OL.Among the two types of premalignancies treated with MB-PDT,OLP lesions responded much better than that of OL.

Upregulation of epidermal growth factor receptor 4 in oral leukoplakia

In the present study,we investigate the expression profile of the epidermal growth factor receptor family,which comprises EGFR/ ErbBl,HER2/ErbB2,HER3/ErbB3 and HER4/ErbB4 in oral leukoplakia(LP).The expression of four epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) family genes and their ligands were measured in LP tissues from 14 patients and compared with levels in 10 patients with oral lichen planus(OLP) and normal oral mucosa(NOM) from 14 healthy donors by real-time polymerase chain reaction(PCR) and immunohistochemistry.Synchronous mRNA coexpression of ErbBl,ErbB2,ErbB3and ErbB4 was detected in LP lesions.Out of the receptors,only ErbB4 mRNA and protein was more highly expressed in LP compared with NOM tissues.These were strongly expressed by epithelial keratinocytes in LP lesions,as shown by immunohistochemistry.Regarding the ligands,the mRNA of Neuregulin2 and 4 were more highly expressed in OLP compared with NOM tissues.Therefore,enhanced ErbB4 on the keratinocytes and synchronous modulation of EGFR family genes may contribute to the pathogenesis and carcinogenesis of LP.

Critical review of topical management of oral hairy leukoplakia

Oral hairy leukoplakia(OHL) is a disease associated with Epstein-Barr virus and human immunodeficiency virus infections. OHL is usually an asymptomatic lesion, but in some cases treatment is recommended to reestablish the normal characteristics of the tongue, to eliminate pathogenic microorganisms, to improve patient comfort and for cosmetic reasons. Proposed treatments for this condition include surgery, systemic antiviral treatment and topical management. Topical treatment is an inexpensive and safe therapy that is easy to apply, noninvasive, free of systemic adverse effects and effective over a long period of time. The aim of this study was to present a review of the literature for topical therapy for OHL. Gentian violet, retinoids, podophyllin, acyclovir and podophyllin associated with topical antiviral drugs were used to treat OHL. Reports with this focus are limited, and since 2010, no new studies have been published that discuss the efficacy of topical treatments for OHL. Podophyllin with acyclovircream was found to be effective, causing regression of lesions with no recurrences. Additional searches are necessary to provide clinical evidence of topical man agement effectiveness.

C-Ha-ras Oncogene in Oral Leukoplakia Tissues

The amplification and the G-T mutation at codon 12 of the C-Ha-ras oncogene in oral leukoplakia tissues were analyzed by using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and molecular biologic technique. The results showed that these tissues had no amplification of Ha-ras oncogene. Only one case harbored G-T mutation in 11 oral leukoplakias, but this mutation was absent in 10 normal oral mucosal tissues. The possible role and significance of C-Ha-ras oncogene in oral precancerous lesions were also discussed.

Clinical application of oral contrast-enhanced ultrasound in evaluating the preoperative T staging of gastric cancer

BACKGROUND Oral contrast-enhanced ultrasound(OCEUS)is widely used in the noninvasive diagnosis and screening of gastric cancer(GC)in China.AIM To investigate the clinical application of OCEUS in evaluating the preoperative T staging of gastric cancer.METHODS OCEUS was performed before the operation,and standard ultrasound images were retained.The depth of infiltration of GC(T-stage)was evaluated according to the American Joint Committee on Cancer 8th edition of the tumor-nodemetastasis staging criteria.Finally,with postoperative pathological staging as the gold standard reference,the sensitivity,specificity,negative predictive value,positive predictive value,and diagnostic value of OCEUS T staging were evaluated.RESULTS OCEUS achieved diagnostic accuracy rates of 76.6%(T1a),69.6%(T1b),62.7%(T2),60.8%(T3),88.0%(T4a),and 88.7%(T4b),with an average of 75.5%.Ultrasonic T staging sensitivity exceeded 62%,aside from T1b at 40.3%,while specificity was over 91%,except for T3 with 83.5%.The Youden index was above 60%,with T1b and T2 being exceptions.OCEUS T staging corresponded closely with pathology in T4b(kappa>0.75)and moderately in T1a,T1b,T2,T3,and T4a(kappa 0.40-0.75),registering a concordance rate exceeding 84%.CONCLUSION OCEUS was effective,reliable,and accurate in diagnosing the preoperative T staging of GC.As a noninvasive diagnostic technique,OCEUS merits clinical popularization.

Novel insights on oral squamous cell carcinoma management using long non-coding RNAs

Oral squamous cell carcinoma(OSCC)is one of the most prevalent forms of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas(HNSCC)with a poor overall survival rate(about 50%),particularly in cases of metastasis.RNA-based cancer biomarkers are a relatively advanced concept,and non-coding RNAs currently have shown promising roles in the detection and treatment of various malignancies.This review underlines the function of long non-coding RNAs(lncRNAs)in the OSCC and its subsequent clinical implications.LncRNAs,a class of non-coding RNAs,are larger than 200 nucleotides and resemble mRNA in numerous ways.However,unlike mRNA,lncRNA regulates multiple druggable and non-druggable signaling molecules through simultaneous interaction with DNA,RNA,proteins,or microRNAs depending on concentration and localization in cells.Upregulation of oncogenic lncRNAs and downregulation of tumor suppressor lncRNAs are evident in OSCC tissues and body fluids such as blood and saliva indicating their potential as valuable biomarkers.Targeted inhibition of candidate oncogenic lncRNAs or overexpression of tumor suppressor lncRNAs showed potential therapeutic roles in in-vivo animal models.The types of lncRNAs that are expressed differentially in OSCC tissue and bodily fluids have been systematically documented with specificity and sensitivity.This review thoroughly discusses the biological functions of such lncRNAs in OSCC cell survival,proliferation,invasion,migration,metastasis,angiogenesis,metabolism,epigenetic modification,tumor immune microenvironment,and drug resistance.Subsequently,we addressed the diagnostic and therapeutic importance of lncRNAs in OSCC pre-clinical and clinical systems,providing details on ongoing research and outlining potential future directions for advancements in this field.In essence,this review could be a valuable resource by offering comprehensive and current insights into lncRNAs in OSCC for researchers in fundamental and clinical domains.

深度学习在口腔影像分析中的应用

背景:近年来深度学习技术越来越多地被运用于口腔医学领域,提高了口腔影像分析的效率及准确率,推动了口腔智能医学的迅速发展。目的:基于口腔影像,阐述深度学习在口腔疾病诊断和治疗方案决策方面的研究现状、优势与局限性,探讨深度学习技术背景下口腔医学变革的新方向。方法:应用计算机检索PubMed数据库中2017年1月至2024年1月发表的深度学习在口腔医学影像领域应用的相关文献,检索词为“deep learning,artificial intelligence,stomatology,oral medical imaging”等,按入组标准筛选后最终纳入80篇文献进行综述。结果与结论:(1)经典的深度学习模型包括人工神经网络、卷积神经网络、递归神经网络和生成对抗网络等,学者们以或竞争或联合的形式运用这些模型,实现更高效的对口腔医学影像的解释。(2)在口腔医学领域,疾病诊断和治疗方案的制定在很大程度上依赖医学影像资料的判读,而深度学习技术拥有强大的图像处理能力,无论是在辅助诊断龋齿、根尖周炎、牙根纵裂、牙周病、颌骨囊肿等疾病方面,还是在辅助第三磨牙拔除术、颈淋巴结清扫术等治疗操作的术前评估方面,深度学习都能帮助临床医生提高决策的准确率与效率。(3)尽管深度学习有望成为口腔疾病诊治的重要辅助工具,但它在模型技术、安全伦理、法律监管方面仍有一定的局限性,未来的研究应侧重于证明深度学习的可推广性、稳健性和临床实用性,寻找将深度学习自动化决策支持系统应用于常规临床工作流程中的最佳方式。

细胞外囊泡在口腔鳞状细胞癌诊疗中的作用

背景:细胞外囊泡在不同的生理和病理生理条件下由多种细胞类型(包括肿瘤细胞)分泌到细胞外环境中,存在着广泛的生物学信号及细胞之间的信号传导。肿瘤衍生的细胞外囊泡可能会加剧癌症的进展、存活、侵袭和促进血管生成。目的:综述细胞外囊泡在口腔鳞状细胞癌诊疗中的研究进展。方法:由第一作者在Pub Med、万方和中国知网数据库中进行文献检索,关键词为“EVs,Oral squamous cell carcinoma,Diagnosis and treatment,Biopsy,Tissue engineering”及“细胞外囊泡,口腔鳞状细胞癌,诊疗,活检,组织工程”,最终纳入63篇文献进行分析。结果与结论:(1)在口腔鳞状细胞癌唾液活检中,细胞外囊泡作为肿瘤细胞与周围微环境间的信息传递工具,携带包括可溶性蛋白、脂质、DNA和RNA在内的多种生物分子,对口腔鳞状细胞癌的进展起着至关重要的作用,这些微小囊泡不仅在肿瘤的生长和扩散中扮演着关键角色,还提供了有关肿瘤生物学特性的重要信息。(2)唾液活检作为一种非侵入性诊断方法,通过分析其中的细胞外囊泡,可以为口腔鳞状细胞癌的早期诊断和靶向治疗开辟新的可能性。(3)研究发现,细胞外囊泡内含的生物活性分子,如micro RNAs(mi RNAs)和特定蛋白质,能作为口腔鳞状细胞癌的生物标志物,提高早期诊断的准确性。细胞外囊泡中的特定蛋白质如EHD2,CAVIN1,PF4V1和CXCL7等显示了作为新型预测性生物标志物的潜力。(4)此外,文章还强调了细胞外囊泡在口腔鳞状细胞癌治疗中的应用潜力,通过工程化改造,细胞外囊泡可以作为新一代纳米级药物输送系统,增强肿瘤靶向治疗的效率和特异性。(5)未来的研究将进一步深入探索细胞外囊泡在口腔鳞状细胞癌治疗中的作用及其机制,有望改善患者的生存率和生活质量。

Diagnostic aids for detection of oral precancerous conditions

Oral cancer has a tendency to be detected at late stage which is detrimental to the patients because of its high mortality and morbidity rates. Early detection of oral cancer is therefore important to reduce the burden of this devastating disease. In this review article, the most common oral precancerous lesions are discussed and the importance of early diagnosis is emphasized. In addition, the most common non-invasive oral cancer devices that can aid the general practitioners in early diagnosis are also discussed.

Expression and significance of p53 and mdm2 in patients with leukoplakia cancer

Objective:To study the relationship of the expressions of p53 and mdm2 in leukoplakia cancer.Methods:RT-PCR was used to detect the mRNA of p53,mdm2 in patients with leukoplakia cancer.The frequencies of p53,mdm2 in peripheral blood were detected by flow cytometric analysis.Results:The expression of p53mRNA in normal oral mucosa,simple oral leukoplakia,no-simple oral leukoplakia and leukoplakia cancer were 7.7%,27.3%,33.3%,56.8%,respectively.The frequencies of p53 in normal oral mucosa,simple oral leukoplakia,no-simple oral leukoplakia and leukoplakia cancer were(0.3±0.1)%,(l.6±0.9)%,(1.9±1.1)%,(3.4±1.8)%.The expression of mdm2 mRNA in normal oral mucosa,simple oral leukoplakia,no-simple oral leukoplakia and leukoplakia cancer were 0.0%,6.8%,11.1%,37.8%,respectively.The frequencies of mdm2 in normal oral mucosa,simple oral leukoplakia,no-simple oral leukoplakia and leukoplakia cancer were(0.1±0.1)%,(0.8±0.6)%,(1.2±0.8)%,(1.2±0.8)%.There was a positively correlation between p53 mRNA and mdm2 mRNA.Conclusions:The positive rate of p53 and mdm2 cells in the peripheral blood increases in patients with leukoplakia cancer tissue and has positive correlation with the severity of leukoplakia cancer.

Diagnostic delay in oral squamous cell carcinoma: the role of cognitive and psychological variables

This retrospective study investigated, in two cohorts of subjects living in Southern Italy and awaiting treatment for oral squamous cell carcinoma （OSCC）, the variables related to diagnostic delay ascribable to the patient, with particular reference to the cognitive and psychological ones. A total of 156 patients with OSCC （mean age： 62 years, M/F： 2.39 ： 1） were recruited at the Universities of Palermo and Naples. Risk factors related to patient delay included： sociodemographic, health-related, cognitive and psychological variables. The analysis was conducted by considering two different delay ranges： dichotomous （≤1 month vs. 〉 1 month） and polytomous （〈1 month, 1-3 months, 〉3 months） delay. Data were investigated by univariate and multivariate analyses and a Pvalue≤0.05 was considered statistically significant. For both delay measurements, the most relevant variables were： ＇Personal experience of cancer＇ （dichotomous delay： P=0.05, odds ratio （0R）=0.33, 95% confidence interval （CI）=0. 11-0.99; polytomous delay： P=0.006, Chi-square= 10.224） and ＇Unawareness＇ （dichotomous delay： P〈0.01, 0R=4.96, 95% CI--2.16-11.37; polytomous delay： P=0.087, Chi-square=4.77）. Also ＇Denial＇ （P〈0.01, 0R=6.84, 95% CI=2.31-20.24） and ＇Knowledge of cancer＇ （P=0.079, Chi-square=8.359） were found to be statistically significant both for dichotomous and for polytomous categorization of delay, respectively. The findings of this study indicated that, in the investigated cohorts, the knowledge about cancer issues is strongly linked to the patient delay. Educational interventions on the Mediterranean population are necessary in order to increase the patient awareness and to emphasize his/her key role in early diagnosis of OSCC.

Role of angiogenesis in oral squamous cell carcinoma development and metastasis: an immunohistochemical study

Although a few studies have shown that vascularity is increased from normal mucosa to dysplasia to carcinoma suggesting that disease progression in the oral mucosa is accompanied by angiogenesis. The role in lymph node metastasis in oral squamous cell carcinoma （OSCC） is equivocal. Role of angiogenesis in OSCC development and metastasis is evaluated in this study. This retrospective study of 50 samples consisted of 9 normal buccal mucosa, 22 leukoplakias, and 19 OSCC. Polyclonal antibodies to von-Willebrand factor were used to highlight the microvessels. Images were captured and morphometric image analysis was done for microvessel density （MVD）, area, and perimeter. Highest, as well as mean values of these three parameters were compared. MVD and perimeter, but not area, are significantly different between normal mucosa and OSCC, and leukoplakia and OSCC. There were no differences between normal mucosa and leukoplakia. MVD, area, and perimeter were not significantly different between the OSCC with and without lymph node metastasis. The highest and mean values of MVD are significantly correlated. In the development of OSCC, angiogenic phenotypic change occurs in carcinomas rather than in the pre-cancerous stage, and quantification of angiogenesis in OSCC does not predict the risk of lymph node metastasis.

Pyoderma Gangrenosum with Oral Involvement–Case Report and Review of the Literature

Pyoderma gangrenosum （PG） is a rare, noninfectious neutrophilic dermatosis. Clinically, it begins with sterile pustules that rapidly progress into painful ulcers of variable depth and size with undermined violaceous borders. The diagnosis of PG is based on the history of an underlying disease, a typical clinical presentation, histopathology, and exclusion of other diseases. The peak incidence occurs between the ages of 20 to 50 years with women being more often affected than men. There have been very few reports of pyoderma gangrenosum with oral mucosal involvement. Oral lesions in previously reported cases have included ulcers of varying sizes from a few mm to several cm and have been reported to have been found on the tongue, soft and hard palate, buccal mucosa, and gingiva. Some of these oral lesions have been associated with ulcerative colitis, inflammatory bowel disease, and polycythemia rubra vera. A few cases were reported with biopsy findings, the histological picture being nonspecific, showing ulceration, and necrosis with inflam- matory cell infiltrate. A peculiar case of pyoderma gan- grenosum with an oral lesion is presented here, and the differential diagnosis is discussed.

Quality of life and oral potentially malignant disorders: Critical appraisal and prospects

Quality of life(QoL) is a vital and often required health outcome measure that is relevant to patient care. A healthy oral cavity enables person to perform daily activities without any limitations. However, any disturbance may result in impaired QoL. The oral health-remains an essential element of people's health and well-being. In recent years, the tradition of clinical practice and research has been changed by incorporating QoL assessment, as it helps in assessment of patients' needs and monitoring treatment responses. Oral potentially malignant disorders(OPMDs) are a group of chronic disorders including oral leukoplakia(OL), oral lichen planus and oral submucous fibrosis(OSF). It is evident that patients with OPMDs experience significant health-related symptoms, functional limitations and psycho-social impairment, compromising their Qo L. Moreover, the worsening of Qo L has been associated with advanced stages of OPMDs. Despite of increasing number of OPMD cases in recent decades, limited literature is available regarding QoL in this population. Although, there is higher prevalence of habit-related OPMDs, particularly OSF and OL in Southern Asian countries, only a few studies have been performed in these populations. Moreover, these studies administered generic Qo L instruments, which offer less sensitivity to clinical changes. However, condition-specific instruments are more sensitive and allows better measurement of QoL. As the impacts of different conditions on OHRQoL may vary, the development and validation of a QoL instrument specific to each clinical entity of OPMDs is currently needed.