Markopoulos Ak

Malignant potential of oral lichen planus: A follow-up study of 326 patients

326 patients with oral lichen planus were followed for periods ranging from 6 months to 10 years (mean 4.8 years), in an attempt to clarify the malignant potential of this disease which is still controversial. Malignant transformation occurred in 4 patients (1.3%) in a mean time of 6.5 years after the onset of lichen planus. Before cancer development, 3 of these patients manifested the erosive form of oral lichen planus, while the others, a combination of the papular/atrophic form. Malignant transformation in our patients could not be associated with any evident factors, such as family history, local irritation, alcohol consumption, nutritional disturbances or other systemic diseases.

Current Aspects on Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Oral squamous cell carcinoma is the most common malignant epithelial neoplasm affecting the oral cavity. This article overviews the essential points of oral squamous cell carcinoma, highlighting its risk and genomic factors, the potential malignant disorders and the therapeutic approaches. It also emphasizes the importance of the early diagnosis.

Recovering circulating extracellular or cell-free RNA from bodily fluids

The presence of extracellular circulating or cell-free RNA in biological fluids is becoming a promising diagnostic tool for non invasive and cost effective cancer detection. Extracellular RNA or miRNA as biological marker could be used either for the early detection and diagnosis of the disease or as a marker of recurrence patterns and surveillance. In this review article, we refer to the origin of the circulating extracellular RNA, we summarise the data on the biological fluids (serum/plasma, saliva, urine, cerebrospinal fluid and bronchial lavage fluid) of patients suffering from various types of malignancies reported to contain a substantial amount of circulating extracellular (or cell-free) RNAs and we discuss the appropriate reagents and methodologies needed to be employed in order to obtain RNA material of high quality and integrity for the majority of the experimental methods used in RNA expression analysis. Furthermore, we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the RT-PCR or microarray methodology which are the methods more often employed in procedures of extracellular RNA analysis.

Salivary Markers for Oral Cancer Detection

Oral cancer refers to all malignancies that arise in the oral cavity, lips and pharynx, with 90% of all oral cancers being oral squamous cell carcinoma. Despite the recent treatment advances, oral cancer is reported as having one of the highest mortality ratios amongst other malignancies and this can much be attributed to the late diagnosis of the disease. Saliva has long been tested as a valuable tool for drug monitoring and the diagnosis systemic diseases among which oral cancer. The new emerging technologies in molecular biology have enabled the discovery of new molecular markers (DNA, RNA and protein markers) for oral cancer diagnosis and surveillance which are discussed in the current review.

Epidemiologic survey of pemphigus vulgaris with oral manifestations in northern Greece: Retrospective study of 129 patients

Objective  To evaluate the epidemiology of pemphigus vulgaris (PV) in a Greek population and to compare it with other countries.

Mast cells and angiogenesis in oral malignant and premalignant lesions.

Mast cell contribution to neoangiogenesis during tumorigenesis in oral squamous cell carcinoma is not determined yet. Objectives: To associate numerical mast cell density (MCD) to numerical microvessel density (MVD) during the progression of oral leukoplakia without dysplasia and leukoplakia with dysplasia to squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Materials and methods: MVD was analysed immunohistochemically (mouse monoclonal anti-human CD34) in 49 paraffin-embedded specimens, 35 OSCCs, 9 leukoplakias and 5 normal oral tissues. Toluidine blue counterstaining revealed mast cells. MCD and MVD were assessed at the same optical field. Results: MVD increased between: normal oral mucosa, dysplasia (p=0.004), OSCC (p=0.001), leukoplakia and OSCC (p=0.041). MCD increased between: normal oral mucosa, dysplasia (p=0.003), OSCC (p=0.000), leukoplakia and OSCC (p=0.007). MVD was found to depend on MCD (p=0.000) in a percent 28.3% (power curve fit model). Conclusions: Mast cells are attracted at the lesion site and may turn on an angiogenic switch during tumorigenesis in OSCC.

HLA haplotypes in recurrent aphthous stomatitis: a mode of inheritance?

The aim of this study was to investigate the genetic association between recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) and human leucocyte antigen (HLA) class I and II alleles and HLA haplotypes. Families selected had at least one child suffering from recurrent aphthous stomatitis in addition to one or both of the parents. HLA‐A, ‐B and ‐DR alleles were typed in 29 families, 27 nuclear and two extended (121 subjects). HLA haplotypes of all family members with RAS were compared with those who were RAS negative. Although major histocompatibility complex class I and II gene analysis failed to demonstrate any significant association between RAS and HLA antigens, the study of HLA haplotypes revealed a significant association between HLA haplotypes and susceptibility to RAS. The results indicate that susceptibility to RAS segregates in families in association with HLA haplotypes.

Pemphigus vegetans of the oral cavity

Background  Pemphigus vegetans, a variant of pemphigus vulgaris, constitutes a rare form of all pemphigus cases, and oral involvement is common. Two clinical subtypes of pemphigus vegetans exist, characterized initially by flaccid bullae and erosions (Neumann) or pustules (Hallopeau). Both subtypes subsequently develop into hyperpigmented vegetative plaques with pustules and hypertrophic granulation tissue at the periphery.

Histopathological and Immunohistochemical Features of the Labial Salivary Glands in Children With Type I Diabetes

The aim of this study was to investigate the morphological alterations of labial salivary glands in children with type I diabetes. For this purpose labial salivary glands under local anesthesia were excised from the lower lip of ten diabetic children at the onset of diabetes (mean age, 10 years). Additionally ten similar biopsies were obtained from ten healthy children (mean age, 9 years). The tissues were conventionally processed and embedded in paraffin wax. The first section was stained with hematoxylin/eosin, while two additional sections were stained immunohistochemically using the indirect immunoperoxidase avidin-biotin method to detect T and B lymphocytes. The results showed that a mononuclear infiltration was apparent in all diabetic children. Lymphocytes were particularly seen around various ducts. In contrast, the salivary glands of healthy controls were free of infiltrates. The immunohistochemical analysis showed that the majority of these cells were T cells. B cells were found to a lesser extent. These findings indicate that a destruction of labial salivary glands takes place in type I diabetes. This phenomenon is T-cell mediated. The similarity of this condition with the insulitis suggests that labial salivary glands and pancreas may share a common antigen that might be the target of the autoimmune process in type I diabetes.

Bilateral aplasia of parotid glands correlated with accessory parotid tissue.

Congenital absence of major salivary glands, especially the parotid gland, is a rare entity. It is usually monolateral and is not correlated with accessory salivary gland tissue. Aplasia of parotid gland may occur alone or in association with abnormalities of other salivary glands, first branchial arch developmental disturbances or other congenital anomalies.We report an interesting case of bilateral aplasia of the parotid glands together with bilateral accessory parotid tissue, without other congenital or developmental anomalies, and we describe the clinical and radiological findings.