Mariana Quirino Silveira Soares

E-cadherin, β-catenin, and α2β1 and α3β1 integrin expression in primary oral squamous cell carcinoma and its regional metastasis.

To investigate E-cadherin, β-catenin, and α2β1 and α3β1 integrins in 40 samples of non-metastatic and metastatic oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) with positive cervical lymph nodes (LN). Immunohistochemistry was used to evaluate expression in the lesion center (LC) and invasive tumor front (ITF) of non-metastatic (n=18) and metastatic (n=22) OSCC and in the LN on the metastatic neoplastic cells (MNC; n=22). In metastatic OSCC, E-cadherin and β-catenin presented significantly lower cytoplasmic membrane expression in the ITF and MNC when compared to the LC and lower cytoplasmic expression in MNC when compared to the LC and ITF (p<0.05). Integrins α2β1 and α3β1 showed high cytoplasmic expression in the LC, ITF and MNC (p>0.05). A positive correlation was observed between E-cadherin cytoplasmic expression and α2β1 (p=0.860) and α3β1 (p=0.975) expression. When comparing the primary sites of metastatic and non-metastatic disease, β-catenin presented lower cytoplasmic membrane (p=0.013) expression in metastatic OSCC. E-cadherin presented low expression and the integrins high expression in both groups. Abnormal expression of β-catenin and E-cadherin associated with high expression of α2β1 and α3β1 integrins contribute to LN metastasis in OSCC.

Expression of adhesion proteins (E-cadherin and β-catenin) and cell proliferation (Ki-67) at the invasive tumor front in conventional oral squamous cell and basaloid squamous cell carcinomas

OBJECTIVE Investigate, on a comparative basis, the expression of the adhesion molecules E-cadherin (E-cad), β-catenin (β-cat) and the proliferation index (Ki-67) at the invasive tumor front (ITF) in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and basaloid squamous cell carcinoma (BSCC). MATERIAL AND METHODS Thirty-five SCC and 16 BSCC cases were evaluated by immunohistochemistry. Clinicopathological and survival data were also evaluated and compared. RESULTS There was a low expression of E-cad in the cytoplasmic membrane (p=0.50) as well as in the nucleus (p=0.31) for both SCC and BSCC. A high expression of E-cad was seen in the cytoplasm for the SCC group (80%) when compared to the BSCC group (25%) (p<0.01). The expression of β-cat was low in the cytoplasmic membrane and high in the cytoplasm in both SCC and BSCC groups. Both types of carcinoma presented low expressions of β-cat in the nucleus (p=0.03). The Ki-67 expression was low irrespective of tumor variant. The high expression of E-cad in the cytoplasm was associated with T3/T4 tumors (p=0.04) in the SCC group and there was no significant association of E-cad, β-cat, Ki-67 with the other clinical variables. In terms of disease-free survival and overall survival, there were no significant differences between SCC and BSCC. CONCLUSION The E-cad-β-cat system was found to be dysregulated in both oral SCC and oral BSCC. The Ki-67 cell proliferation index was extremely low in the cases investigated and consequently had no prognostic value.

Assessment of spontaneous resolution of idiopathic bone cavity

Abstract Idiopathic Bone Cavity (IBC) or Simple Bone Cyst (SBC) is a non- epithelialized bone cavity with serosanguinous fluid content or empty. There is a literature debate regarding its pathogenesis that remains unclear. The main treatment option is the surgical exploration, although there are successful cases described in the literature in which just a follow-up with clinical and radiographic evaluation was performed. Objective This study aimed to assess the spontaneous resolution of idiopathic bone cavity untreated by surgery. Material and Methods Twenty-one patients diagnosed with surgically untreated IBC were submitted to a follow-up protocol modified from Damante, Guerra, and Ferreira 5 (2002). A clinical and radiographic evaluation was performed in 13 patients (13/21), while eight patients (8/21) were only radiographically evaluated. Three observers evaluated the panoramic radiographs of 21 patients and the Kappa test was performed by intra and inter-examiners. Inductive and descriptive statistics were applied to the results. Results Only one patient had a positive response to palpation and percussion of the teeth in the cyst area. Most of the cysts evaluated were rated as 3 (lesion “in involution”), 4 (lesion “almost completely resolved”), or 5 (“completely resolved”). Conclusions We observed progressive spontaneous resolution of IBC. Most cysts were found in the recovery process in different follow-up periods. Patients follow-up, without surgery, may be considered after the diagnosis based on epidemiological, clinical, and radiographic features of the lesion.