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Background: Peripheral ossifying fibroma is a nonneoplastic inflammatory hyperplasia that originates in the periodontal ligament or periosteum in response to chronic mechanical irritation. Peripheral ossifying fibroma develops more commonly in young females as a solitary, slow-growing, exophytic nodular mass of the gingiva, no more than 2 cm in diameter. While various synonyms have been used to refer to peripheral ossifying fibroma, very similar names have also been applied to neoplastic diseases that are pathologically distinct from peripheral ossifying fibroma, causing considerable nomenclatural confusion. Herein, we report our experience with an unusual giant peripheral ossifying fibroma with a differential diagnostic challenge in distinguishing it from a malignancy., Case Presentation: A 68-year-old Japanese male was referred to our department with a suspected gingival malignancy presenting with an elastic hard, pedunculated, exophytic mass 60 mm in diameter in the right maxillary gingiva. In addition to computed tomography showing extensive bone destruction in the right maxillary alveolus, positron emission tomography with computed tomography revealed fluorodeoxyglucose hyperaccumulation in the gingival lesion. Although these clinical findings were highly suggestive of malignancy, repeated preoperative biopsies showed no evidence of malignancy. Since even intraoperative frozen histological examination revealed no malignancy, surgical resection was performed in the form of partial maxillectomy for benign disease, followed by thorough curettage of the surrounding granulation tissue and alveolar bone. Histologically, the excised mass consisted primarily of a fibrous component with sparse proliferation of atypical fibroblast-like cells, partly comprising ossification, leading to a final diagnosis of peripheral ossifying fibroma. No relapse was observed at the 10-month follow-up., Conclusions: The clinical presentation of giant peripheral ossifying fibromas can make the differential diagnosis from malignancy difficult. Proper diagnosis relies on recognition of the characteristic histopathology and identification of the underlying chronic mechanical stimuli, while successful treatment mandates complete excision of the lesion and optimization of oral hygiene. Complicated terminological issues associated with peripheral ossifying fibroma require appropriate interpretation and sufficient awareness of the disease names to avoid diagnostic confusion and provide optimal management., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Congenital epulis is a rare tumor; when voluminous and ulcerated, appearance can generate concern. Nevertheless, it is a benign lesion that is easily treated with surgery. This is a retrospective study, with the presentation of 2 cases treated by the same team from 2016 to 2020 and a bibliographic review (PubMed and Elsiever). This surgical team is based in Buenos Aires, working in the private medical system. Congenital epulis is an infrequent, benign tumor affecting females predominantly, appearing at birth on the alveolar median ridge of the maxilla. Its pathogenesis is uncertain. Voluminous tumors interfere with feeding, but respiratory interference is exceptional. Histologically, this tumor is similar to the granular cell tumor but has different clinical characteristics and Periodic Acid Schiff stain. Prenatal diagnosis with ecographic or magnetic resonance imaging is ideal; if undiagnosed prenatally, clinical diagnosis is done based on typical features. Surgical excision is the treatment of choice., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 by Mutaz B. Habal, MD.)

Background: Congenital epulis is a benign gingival tumor whose differential diagnosis includes other oral-facial masses such as teratoma, hemangioma, lymphatic malformation and dermoid cysts. This tumor can cause obstruction of the airway or feeding problems in the newborn. Surgical excision is the treatment of choice. Case Report: We present a case of congenital epulis, diagnosed prenatally with ultrasonography. Conclusion: Although difficult, a defined prenatal image of congenital epulis is possible by means of accurate high-resolution ultrasonography. It facilitates the narrowing down of differential diagnosis. The confirmatory final diagnosis relies on histopathological examination.

Vertical mandibular invasion of lower gingival squamous cell carcinoma (LGSCC) determines the method of resection, which significantly affects the patient's quality of life. Therefore, in mandibular invasion by LGSCC, it is extremely important to monitor progression, specifically whether invasion is limited to the cortical bone or has progressed to the bone marrow. This retrospective study aimed to identify the diagnostic and predictive parameters for mandibular invasion, particularly vertical invasion, to enable appropriate selection of the method of mandibular resection. Of the patients who underwent surgery for LGSCC between 2009 and 2017, 64 were eligible for participation in the study based on tissue microarrays (TMA) from surgical specimens. This study analyzed morphological features using computed tomography (CT), and metabolic characteristics using maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), peak value of SUV (SUVpeak), metabolic tumor volume (MTV), and total lesion glycolysis (TLG). Moreover, immunohistochemical analysis of proteins, including parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), E-cadherin, and programmed cell death-1 ligand 1 (PD-L1), was performed. Statistical analysis was performed using univariate logistic regression analysis with the forward selection method. The present study showed that MTV (≥2.9 cm3) was an independent diagnostic and predictive factor for positivity of mandibular invasion. Additionally, TLG (≥53.9 bw/cm3) was an independent diagnostic and predictive factor for progression to bone marrow invasion. This study demonstrated that in addition to morphological imaging by CT, the volume-based parameters of MTV and TLG on fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography were important for predicting pathological mandibular invasion in patients with LGSCC. A more accurate preoperative diagnosis of vertical mandibular invasion would enable the selection of appropriate surgical procedure for mandibular resection., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2022 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Objectives: This study sought to identify tumor characteristics that associate with regional lymph node metastases in squamous cell carcinomas originating in the upper gingiva., Materials and Methods: Data from 113 patients from Osaka University Dental Hospital were included. We measured each primary tumor's width, length, depth, and the extent of bone invasion. Additionally, tumor signal intensity for T1 and T2-weighted images as well as the center of the tumor's location and T classification was assessed, and a histopathological analysis was performed., Results: Tumor signal intensity was not found to be a significant prognostic factor. However, bucco-lingual width, histopathological classification as well as the tumor's location were significantly different between metastatic and non-metastatic groups in both univariate and multivariate analysis. Superior-inferior depth and T classification were significant only in the univariate (and not the multivariate) analysis., Conclusions: Bucco-lingual width, histopathological grading as well as the tumor's location are likely to be important predictors for the occurrence of LN metastasis in upper gingival carcinoma patients and should be considered when managing care for these patients., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Congenital granular cell epulis (CGCE) is a rare benign soft tissue lesion that usually originates from the neonatal gingiva and can lead to difficulty in breathing and feeding upon birth. This current case report describes a female newborn with a gingival mass that was identified by prenatal fetal ultrasonography. At birth, the oral mass was observed to protrude from the mouth, which adversely affected feeding. The lips could not be closed. The breathing was unaffected. Through a multidisciplinary team approach involving several healthcare professionals, the mass was successfully removed under general anaesthesia during an uncomplicated surgical procedure. Postoperative histopathological examination confirmed that the mass was a CGCE of the newborn. The infant recovered well after the operation.

The extraosseous/peripheral odontogenic fibroma (E/POF) is a benign mesenchymal odontogenic tumour found on the gingival surface with clinical characteristics identical to those of reactive lesions. A histopathological analysis is the only method for determining the difference between reactive lesions and these neoplastic lesions, whose recurrence potential varies between 38.9% and 50%, highlighting the importance of correct diagnosis. The following report describes an E/POF case with a clear cells component, as well as a long-term follow-up treatment, which we emphasise due to its potential for recurrence., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2021. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

We report on a case of carcinoma cuniculatum (CC) of the maxillary gingival mucosa. A 60-year-old woman presented with an exophytic gingivo-palatal mass with slow growth and osteolytic evolution. A first performed biopsy was negative for malignancy. The diagnosis of CC was established on the surgical representative biopsy. CC is a rare low-grade variant of squamous cell carcinoma that is usually found in the foot or in oral cavity. The pathognomonic microscopic feature of CC is an endo- and/or exophytic lesion composed by a well differentiated squamous epithelium infiltrating into underlying stroma forming a complex pattern of keratin cores and keratin filled "rabbit warren" crypts. CC is a locally evolutive carcinoma with a usually good prognosis usually without lymph node or distant metastatic evolution., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Preoperative detection of bone invasion is important in cases of gingival cancer. The aim of this study was to compare the diagnostic value of 3 imaging methods for the detection of bone invasion in upper and lower gingival cancer: computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and positron emission tomography (PET) and CT., Materials and Methods: This retrospective cohort study enrolled patients who underwent a maxillectomy or a mandibulectomy for gingival cancer. Each preoperative image (CT, MRI, or PET/CT) was reviewed for the presence of bone invasion, and the possibility for bone invasion was graded. These results were verified with pathology reports. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value for the detection of mandibular involvement in alveolar bone were calculated, and a receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve analysis was performed., Results: Forty patients (27 men and 13 women) were enrolled. Pathologic examination disclosed bone invasion in 25 of the 40 patients. Of these patients, 13 had maxillary and 12 had mandibular alveolus involvement. The diagnostic accuracy of CT (90.0%) was highest among the 3 modalities for the detection of bone invasion. In the ROC curve analysis, values for the area under the curve for upper gingival cancer were lower than those for lower gingival cancer., Conclusions: The 3 imaging methods were less sensitive for the detection of bone invasion in upper gingival cancer than in lower gingival cancer. Cases of upper gingival cancer should be evaluated more carefully for bone invasion before surgery., (Copyright © 2018 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Disseminated carcinomatosis of the bone marrow (DCBM) is characterized by diffuse metastasis to bone marrow and sudden mortality. To the best of our knowledge, no studies to date have reported progression of oral squamous cell carcinoma to DCBM. Herein, we report a case of squamous cell carcinoma in the maxillary gingiva suspected of progressing to DCBM. A 64-year-old woman presented with white lesions on the left maxillary gingiva. The lesions were diagnosed as squamous cell carcinoma (T2, N0, M0), and partial maxillectomy performed. Two years and 5 months after surgery, metastasis was noted in the left cervical lymph node and left radical neck dissection carried out. The subsequent diagnosis was right cervical lymph node metastasis and multiple bone metastases. The patient also presented with thrombocytopenia, anemia, and elevated levels of alkaline phosphatase, probably due to metastatic bone disease. Although various antitumor therapies were administered, the patient died 6 months after diagnosis of multiple bone metastases.

Purpose: In this study, we aimed to determine the usefulness of diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) as a noninvasive method for evaluation of the histologic grade and lymph node metastasis in patients with oral carcinoma., Materials and Methods: Twenty-seven patients with oral carcinoma were examined with a 3-T MR system and 16-channel coil. DKI data were obtained by a single-shot echo-planar imaging sequence with repetition time, 10,000 ms; echo time, 94 ms; field of view, 250 × 204.25 ms; matrix, 120 × 98; section thickness, 4 mm; four b values of 0, 500, 1000, and 2000 s/mm 2 ; and motion-probing gradients in three orthogonal directions. Diffusivity (D) and kurtosis (K) were calculated using the equation: S = S 0 ∙ exp(-b ∙ D + b 2 ∙ D 2 ∙ K/6). Conventional apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) was also calculated. The MR images were compared with the histopathologic findings., Results: Relative to the histologic grades (Grades 1, 2, and 3) of the 27 oral carcinomas, D values showed a significant inverse correlation (r = -0.885; P < 0.001) and K values showed a significant positive correlation (r = 0.869; P < 0.001), whereas ADC values showed no significant correlation (r = -0.311; P = 0.115). When comparing between metastatic and non-metastatic lymph nodes, significant differences in the D values (P < 0.001) and K values (P < 0.001), but not the ADC values (P = 0.110) became apparent., Conclusions: In patients with oral carcinoma, DKI seems to be clinically useful for the evaluation of histologic grades and lymph node metastasis., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Gastric cancer rarely metastasizes to the oral cavity, especially to gingiva. Only 18 cases have been reported worldwide to date. This paper herein presents the nineteenth case of gingival metastasis from gastric cancer., Case Presentation: A 75-year-old man who underwent a radical gastrectomy for gastric adenocarcinoma was admitted to clinical oncology center for gingival mass which was originally diagnosed as epulis. The subsequent positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) and histopathological examination revealed a gingival metastatic adenocarcinoma originated from gastric carcinoma. Then three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) with synchronization and sequential chemotherapy demonstrated clinical benefit in this patient. Furthermore, this research reviewed the records of 18 cases of gingival metastasis from gastric carcinoma in English, Japanese, and Chinese literature, and summarized the clinicopathologic features of the disease based on previously published papers., Conclusion: This case suggests that gingival metastasis from gastric cancer is worthy of vigilance. Biopsy and immunohistochemical (IHC) staining should be used for the final diagnosis. Moreover, the patient with uncommon gingival metastatic lesion can be successfully treated by radiotherapy with adjuvant chemotherapy.

Phyllodes tumor is a rare breast tumor described by Müller (1938) as a lesion comprising leaflike stromal fibrous components and narrow cysts. The frequency of distant metastasis from this entity is reportedly approximately 20%, and no effective therapy has been established, so the prognosis is poor. This report describes the case of a 60-year-old woman with a history of left lung resection who showed metastasis of a mammary gland malignant phyllodes tumor to the oral cavity. Intraoral examination showed an elastic, hard mass measuring 28 × 27 mm in the gingiva around the left mandibular second molar. Biopsy examination showed growth of giant cells and roughly circular cells showing positivity for S-100, p63, and vimentin on immunohistochemical staining. The authors diagnosed metastasis of the mammary gland malignant phyllodes tumor to the left mandible and performed cyber knife irradiation (44 Gy in 5 fractions) of the left mandible. The mass in the oral cavity disappeared after cyber knife irradiation, but the patient died of direct invasion to the spine., (Copyright © 2016 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The mandibular gingiva is the second most common site of oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma. This retrospective study was designed to determine the clinicopathological features of squamous cell carcinoma of the mandibular gingiva (MGSCC) and to establish a new risk model to predict overall survival. The study included 207 patients with primary MGSCC from January 2000 to September 2009. The medical charts were reviewed and data related to clinical characteristics, treatment provided, histopathological analysis, and follow-up were recorded. All patients underwent surgery as the first-line therapy; follow-up ranged from 1 to 171 months (median 63 months). Clinical characteristics and pathological outcomes were analyzed with respect to the 5-year overall survival rate. A survival risk model was established, and patients were classified into low-, moderate-, and high-risk groups based on the prognostic index designed in this study. The 5-year overall survival rates for the low-, moderate-, and high-risk groups were 92.3%, 76.9%, and 34.2%, respectively. Pathological node metastasis, perineural invasion, and extracapsular spread were the most significant predictive factors for 5-year overall survival. MGSCC is not aggressive, and the survival outcomes of MGSCC are better than those of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) at other sites. It is suggested that patients with T2-T4 tumours undergo elective neck dissection and those with T1 tumours be followed up without addressing the neck., (Copyright © 2016 International Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The aim of this study was to describe a new case series of peri-implant malignancy, review the literature, and discuss the implications of malignancies resembling peri-implantitis., Study Design: This study was a retrospective analysis of cases from 2000 to 2016., Results: Seven patients (two males and five females), aged 44 to 89 years, were included, representing 1.5% of oral malignancy cases. Five cases were squamous carcinoma, one of basal cell carcinoma, and one of carcinoma of metastatic origin. Six cases presented with nonulcerated overgrowth, with bone loss in three and massive osteolysis in one. Misinterpretation as peri-implantitis delayed diagnosis in six cases. Risk factors included previous oral malignancy (2), potentially malignant conditions (2), and smoking (1). Of the 47 cases in the English language literature, 85% were squamous cell carcinoma and 8.5% had distant metastasis. Most cases had one or more risk factors., Conclusions: Peri-implant malignancy may represent up to 1.5% of oral malignancy cases. Clinical features imitating peri-implantitis may delay diagnosis. Lesions failing to respond to treatment, especially in patients with pre-existing risk factors, should significantly increase suspicion. Histopathology is crucial for diagnosis., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Secondary oral cavity neoplasms are rare. We describe a case of an indurated, nonulcerating gingival lesion in a 59-year-old nonsmoking man with no family history of lung cancer. The lesion was the presenting symptom of metastatic lung adenocarcinoma. Reviewing the literature, we find that primary lung cancer among men is one of the most common cancers to metastasize to the oral cavity. Renal and cutaneous neoplasms are the next most common neoplasms to metastasize to the oral cavity. Furthermore, the gingiva, a tissue prone to inflammation, is noted to be a common site for secondary oral cavity neoplasms. This rare case highlights that metastases should influence the clinician's differential of oral mucosal lesions.

Objectives: To determine prognostic factors in gingivo-alveolar squamous cell carcinoma of the maxilla (GA-SCC-M), and particularly the prognostic value of both vertical and antero-posterior tumor spread., Material and Methods: Our retrospective study included all naïve-treatment patients treated in our center between 2006 and 2013 for GA-SCC-M. Posterior involvement was considered when the tumor extended behind the mesial side of the first maxillary molar. Spread posterior to the maxillary tuberosity was defined by the spread to at least one of the following structures: pterygomaxillary fissure, pterygoid muscles, and processes. Involvement of the maxillary sinus floor, nasal fossa, and orbital floor was assessed, concerning the vertical spread., Results: A radiological tumor spread to the nasal fossa, maxillary sinus floor, and orbital floor were prognostic factors independently of age, cervical lymph node metastasis and positive margins in multivariate analysis (p < 0.05). Radiological suggested spread tended to be noticeably more predictive of a poor prognosis than histological proven tumoral spread. The prognosis was not significantly different between clinical tumoral spread anteriorly or posteriorly to the first molar (p = 0.46). The prognosis was not worsened, even in case of radiological suggested spread posterior to the maxillary tuberosity (p = 0.09)., Conclusion: A vertical radiological spread of GA-SCC-M was a prognostic factor but not the extension posteriorly to the maxillary tuberosity. T4b tumors were mostly resectable, proving that a T4b stage was not predictive of unresectability in GA-SCC-M of the maxilla., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Oral metastatic tumor from a rectal adenocarcinoma is very uncommon. The primary site is usually assumed based on the past clinical history. In the case of oral metastatic tumors, they commonly have a poor prognosis because often they have already spread to other sites., Case Presentation: We present the case of a 64-year-old male patient with secondary metastasis to the mandibular gingiva via lung metastasis after the surgical resection of a primary rectal adenocarcinoma. The gingival lesion grossly appeared as a swollen mass, making mastication difficult. The patient received palliative radiotherapy for the mandibular mass lesion. However, tumor reduction was accompanied by the development of pneumonia and deterioration of the patient's cachexia. Thus, the radiotherapy was discontinued but the patient died 2 months postradiotherapy. In the long term after its primary resection, the rectal adenocarcinoma was deduced to have finally metastasized to the oral region., Conclusions: In this case, we consider a distant secondary metastasis to the oral region from a rectal malignancy. In such cases, careful clinical and pathologic evaluations are necessary, with careful consideration of the inclusion of palliative treatment in the therapeutic management.

Metastatic spread of malignant tumors to the oral soft tissue is rare and account for 0.1% of all oral malignancies. Metastatic spread to the oral soft tissue can present as dental infections, which in turn can create a diagnostic challenge. Metastasis to the oral soft tissue from lung cancer is a rare situation. Here we describe a 52 year-old male patient treated initially with antibiotics for presumed oral abscess, who later was found to have metastatic lung cancer involving the maxillary gingiva.

Objective: To describe a case of bilateral simultaneous squamous cell carcinoma of the gingiva affecting the mandible in a lichen planus patient and discuss the pertinent literature., Method and Materials: We present a case of a 50-year-old woman with a history of oral lichen planus who was diagnosed with a primary and a second primary squamous cell carcinoma originating from the mandibular gingiva. A literature review did not disclose cases of gingival carcinoma arising simultaneously and bilaterally in the mandible., Results: Presentation of two simultaneous clinically distinct squamous cell carcinoma of gingiva, invading underlying mandible, is rare. Second primary tumor refers to a concomitant malignancy that is independent from the primary tumor. Second primary tumor is an independent prognostic factor since the surgical procedure is highly influenced by the extent of bony invasion., Conclusion: The general practitioner should be aware of the possibility of multiple independent lesions at different sites of the oral cavity. A thorough oral examination of sites remote from the obvious main lesion should be performed. The presence of simultaneous primary oral cancerous lesions may indicate a greater morbidity and a grave outcome for the patient.

Background: Gingival hyperplasias are peculiar conditions that may produce extreme growth that impairs masticatory function and causes psychological and aesthetic disturbances. They can vary from mild interdental papillae localized growth to marked swelling affecting both jaws., Case Presentation: The aim of this case report is to present a rare case of generalized gingival growth diagnosed in a 4 year-old Caucasian child and followed for 9 years. The lesion covered almost all of the upper and lower teeth and recurred thirty times with the same clinical and histopathological aspects. The clinical features suggested the diagnosis of idiopathic gingival fibromatosis, but the histopathological aspects did not confirm this hypothesis and were consistent with peripheral ossifying fibroma., Conclusion: The present case reports a rare gingival growth with challenging diagnosis and treatment.

We herein present a case of a left cervical cystic mass, for which the initial pathological diagnosis was branchial cleft cyst carcinoma (following complete mass excision). Thorough postoperative examinations, including with FDG positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT), revealed a primary tumor in the retromolar region of the left mandible. A 52-year-old female presented with a 2-month history of a painless, progressively enlarged left-sided neck mass. Fine-needle aspiration biopsy suggested a branchial cleft cyst. Physical examination revealed a 3 × 3-cm smooth, tender mass in the upper-left neck and anterior border of the sternocleidomastoid muscle. Examination using nasendoscopy and a strobolaryngoscope revealed no abnormalities of the nasal cavity, nasopharynx, oropharynx, hypopharynx or larynx. MRI of the neck revealed a solitary, round, cystic mass under the left parotid gland. The mass was excised completely. Pathologic results indicated a branchial cleft cyst carcinoma. According to the diagnostic criteria for a branchial cleft cystic carcinoma, PET/CT was performed to detect the occult primary site. PET/CT revealed high FDG uptake in the tooth root of the left mandible. Frozen sections of the mass were indicative of moderate, differentiated squamous cell carcinoma. The carcinoma in the retromolar region of the left mandible was locally excised under general anesthesia. A partial left maxillectomy, partial mandibulectomy, and left radical neck dissection were performed. The patient received postoperative concurrent chemoradiotherapy, and was disease-free at the 8-month follow-up. True branchial cleft cyst carcinoma is rare: once diagnosed, it should be distinguished from metastatic cystic cervical lymph and occult primary carcinoma. FDG PET/CT is useful in the identification of occult primary tumor.

Introduction: Lymphomatoid granulomatosis is an uncommon Epstein-Barr virus-positive B-cell lymphoma, an angiocentric-destructive process with a predominant T-cell background. Lymphomatoid granulomatosis is listed among rare diseases. Common localization is in the lungs. Lymphomatoid granulomatosis with oral involvement is described in only two reports. In this report, we describe a third case of oral lymphomatoid granulomatosis., Case Presentation: A 65-year-old Caucasian man with a gingival ulceration underwent a biopsy. The histological pattern was compatible with a grade III lymphomatoid granulomatosis. The staging revealed a nodular lesion in the lower lobe of his right lung. Our patient also presented with hemoptysis, an unusual and not reported clinical sign. Rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone chemotherapy was performed every three weeks for six cycles., Conclusions: The pulmonary nodule and the gingival lesion disappeared. At eight-month follow-up, our patient is disease-free. We wish to emphasize that the oral manifestation described was the first sign of the disease and allowed for diagnosis. This case report adds to the medical literature for the particular clinical presentation of this rare disease.

Neuroendocrine carcinoma (NEC) is a tumor that occurs in different locations, particularly the lungs and larynx. The oral cavity is a rare site for a primary NEC. This report describes 2 cases of primary NEC in the oral cavity. Case 1 occurred in the anterior mandibular gingiva in a 25-year-old woman and presented with a special histologic appearance. This patient showed no evidence of recurrence 13 months after marginal resection of the anterior mandible. Case 2 was a primary NEC with some foci of squamous cell differentiation arising in the right buccal region in a 38-year-old woman. This patient showed no evidence of disease 8 months after tumor resection and postoperative iodine-125 brachytherapy. To the best of the authors' knowledge, case 1 is the youngest patient with NEC reported in the oral cavity to date in the English-language literature, and case 2 is the first report of a primary NEC in the buccal region., (Copyright © 2014 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives/hypothesis: Congenital granular cell tumor (CGCT), also known as congenital epulis, is a rare benign mesenchymal tumor of the oral cavity. We report of a 3 years and 7 months old female patient undergoing surgical excision of an oral tumor. Subsequent histological and immunohistological investigations within the clinical course led to the diagnosis of CGCT. However, clinical findings in this case, such as primary onset and an untypical location within the oral cavity, clearly stand in contrast to those usually found in CGCT, resulting in an exceptional case not previously described in the literature., (Copyright © 2013 The American Laryngological, Rhinological, and Otological Society, Inc.)

Objectives: To elucidate the points that require attention when interpreting fluorine-18-labelled fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose ((18)F-FDG)/positron emission tomography (PET) images by demonstration of (18)F-FDG accumulation in various areas of the oral cavity other than primary lesions in patients with oral cancers., Methods: (18)F-FDG accumulations with a maximal standardized uptake value of over 2.5 in various areas of the oral cavity other than primary lesions were identified in 82 patients with oral cancers., Results: (18)F-FDG/PET-positive areas, excluding primary tumours, included the front intrinsic muscles of the tongue (89.0%), upper and lower marginal parts of the orbicularis oris muscle (64.6%), sublingual glands, palatine tonsil, pharyngeal tonsil, and lingual tonsil. In addition, some areas in the jaws also showed accumulation., Conclusions: In patients with oral cancers, areas of (18)F-FDG accumulation in the oral cavity should be precisely identified and appropriately diagnosed, because accumulations can be seen in areas other than the primary tumour.

Congenital epulis is a rare benign oral cavity tumor that usually arises from the maxillary alveolar mucosa. It is also known as congenital gingival granular cell tumor. Prenatal diagnosis is uncommon and mostly confined to the third trimester. We report a case of congenital epulis, which was referred to our department at 35 weeks of gestation. Both images from our prenatal 2D/3D ultrasound (including Doppler technique) and magnetic resonance examination are presented. A baby girl weighing 2,800 g was delivered spontaneously at 36 weeks and 1 day. The newborn had to be intubated immediately after delivery. A simple excision of the mass was performed on the first day of neonatal life after clinical examination by our pediatric stomatologists confirmed the presence of a tumor resembling epulis. The correctness of this diagnosis was subsequently confirmed by histogenesis. Photographs from the operating room show the postnatal appearance of the tumor. The baby was discharged at the age of 19 days and has remained well at follow-up controls., (Copyright © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Introduction: Primary non-gestational extragonadal choriocarcinomas are uncommon and their head and neck localization more exceptional., Observation: We report on a primary choriocarcinoma case of the mandibular gingivae in a 26-year-old woman who presented with pulmonary and renal metastasis. Complete response (clinical, biological and radiological) was achieved with combined chemotherapy according to APE regimen associating actinomycin, cisplatin and etoposid. The patient was free of disease 4 years after therapy completion., Discussion: Primary gingival mandibular choriocarcinoma is very rare. Clinical presentation is atypical; diagnosis is based on histopathological examination and positivity for HCG. Our case report showed high chemo-sensitivity and comparable outcome to the other localizations., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To investigate the clinical and radiological characteristics of odontogenic carcinomas (OCs) and evaluate their impact on early clinical diagnosis., Methods: The clinical and radiological features of all patients with OCs in our pathology record from January 1988 to December 2009 were retrospectively reviewed. The impact on a tentative diagnosis before final histological examination of clinical, panoramic and CT features was investigated., Results: Of 474 cases with malignant jaw tumours, 417 (88%) were gingival squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) and 27 (6%) were OCs. The average age of the patients with OCs was significantly lower than that of those with gingival SCCs. 20 OCs were in the mandible and 7 were in the maxilla. 22 OC patients (81%) had pain and/or swelling as an initial symptom of the disease. Although the majority of OCs showed irregularly contoured radiolucency, one-third of the cases showed cyst-like radiolucency totally or partially surrounded by a sclerotic rim on panoramic radiography. Permeative or gross cortical bone destruction and mass extension outside the jaw bone were found on CT and a diagnosis of malignant tumour was more common. Mass extension outside the cortex had a significant influence on malignant diagnosis. However, 22% of the patients were still clinically diagnosed as having osteomyelitis after CT., Conclusions: Although CT was useful to obtain a diagnosis of malignant tumour in OC patients, 22% of patients were clinically diagnosed as having osteomyelitis even after CT. When an osteomyelitis case is resistant to conventional therapy and gross bone destruction and/or mass extension is found on CT, a histopathological examination should be done.

Congenital epulis is a benign gingival tumor that has rarely been diagnosed prenatally. We report a fetus with congenital epulis diagnosed by ultrasound at 37 weeks' gestation. The mass was diagnosed as originating from the inferior alveolar ridge prenatally. After birth, it was completely removed by simple excision under general anesthesia. Histologic examination revealed a congenital granular cell tumor., (Copyright © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

We report a case of advanced upper gingival carcinoma with a contralateral metastatic lymph node invading the maxillary sinus (T4aN2cM0). An 83-year-old man was treated concurrently with chemoradiotherapy and S-1. S-1 (80 mg/body/day) was administered for 2 weeks followed by a 1-week rest period as one course. Radiation therapy involved a total of 60 Gy (2 Gy/day; 5 days/week). There were side effects of mild leucopenia and a grade 2 stomatitis. After the completion of 2 courses and radiation therapy, the primary tumor disappeared, and the patient achieved a pathologically complete response. The metastatic lymph node also completely disappeared. S-1 was then administered in the same regimen for 1 year. Neither local recurrence nor distant metastasis has been detected 2 years after the completion of the concurrent chemoradiotherapy with S-1.

Gallbladder cancer has an extremely poor prognosis because it is often diagnosed at an advanced stage. We describe a 63-year-old woman who was treated 4 years previously for gallbladder cancer, with laparoscopic cholecystectomy and secondary hepatectomy after presenting with acute cholecystitis and gallbladder rupture. At her second presentation, she had a left lower gingival tumor and deep neck infection. Incision and drainage and tumor biopsies were performed, and pathology at both sites revealed adenocarcinoma. Positron emission tomography revealed other tumors in the left breast and left lower lung field, which were both proven to be adenocarcinoma by biopsy. The patient's presentation with a metastatic oral tumor was rare. Although the incidence is very low, physicians should consider the possibility of metastatic cancer in a patient with a history of cancer, who presents with new oral tumor or deep neck infection., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Unlabelled: Positron emission tomography (PET) allows non-invasive detection and mapping of tumor hypoxia. However, slow tracer kinetics and low resolution, results in limited tumor-to-normal tissue contrast and the risk of missing areas where hypoxic cells are intermixed with necrosis. The shape of tumor time activity curves (TACs), as deduced from dynamic scans, may allow further separation of tumors/tumor sub-volumes that are inseparable based on static scans. This study was designed to define the added value of dynamic scans., Material and Methods: Three squamous cell carcinoma tumor models were grown in mice. Mice were injected with the (18)F-labeled PET hypoxia-tracer fluoroazomycin arabinoside (FAZA) and the immunologically-detectable hypoxia-marker pimonidazole, and PET scanned dynamically for three to six hours. Subsequently, microregional tracer retention (autoradiography) and the distribution of pimonidazole-retaining cells (immunohistology) and necrosis were analyzed in tumor tissue sections. Dynamic PET data were analysed based on a two-compartment model with irreversible tracer binding generating estimates of the putative hypoxia surrogate markers k(3) (tracer trapping rate constant) and K(i) (influx rate constant from plasma into irreversible bound tracer)., Results/discussion: High tumor-to-reference tissue ratios and a strong linear correlation (R∼0.7 to 0.95) between density of hypoxic cells and FAZA concentration was observed three hours after tracer administration, suggesting that late time PET images provides an accurate measure of hypoxia against which kinetic model estimates can be validated. Tumor TACs varied widely (ranging from distinctly wash-out to accumulative type) among tumor types although pimonidazole-stainings revealed extensive hypoxia in all models. Kinetic analysis of tumor sub-volumes showed that k(3) correlated poorly with late time FAZA retention regionally in two of the three tumor models. The influx rate constant K(i) displayed far less variability and correlated strongly with late time FAZA retention (hypoxia) in two of three tumor models, whereas a non-consistent relationship was observed in the last tumor model. Our study demonstrates the potential usefulness of dynamic PET, but also that a simple two-compartment model may be inappropriate in some tumor models.

We report a 53-year-old female patient with an unresectable metastasis to the supraclavicular lymph node from a primary gingival carcinoma of the mandible. The patient had a history of tongue carcinoma and had undergone a radical neck dissection for the treatment of gingival carcinoma. She underwent combined chemotherapy consisting of S-1 (80 mg on days 1-14, followed by a 7-day rest), docetaxel (35mg/m2 by intravenous infusion on days 1 and 8), and CDDP (10mg/m2 by intravenous infusion on days 1 and 8) every 3 weeks. After three courses of the above chemotherapy regimen, a computerized tomography examination revealed a complete response. The patient did not experience any severe side effects during the course of chemotherapy. Combined S-1, docetaxel, and CDDP chemotherapy can thus be effective for unresectable recurrences of oral cancer in lymph nodes.

The following work presents prenatal ultrasonographic examination of two rare fetal cases of epulis, among 13 792 fetuses referred to our unit due to suspected fetal anomalies by obstetricians (estimated prevalence 1/7000 among fetuses with different anomalies). Sonographic differential diagnosis, value of fetal nasal amniotic fluid flow assessment by color Doppler and the probability of EXIT procedure have been described.

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical significance of ultrasonography (US) for screening for thyroid gland diseases when surveying the cervical lymph nodes to detect metastasis in subjects with oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC)., Methods: The detection rates and characteristics of abnormal thyroid findings detected by US in 301 subjects with oral SCC were analyzed. Subjects with abnormal findings were referred to thyroid specialists and the diagnoses and treatments from these specialists were noted. The ratio of subjects who consulted a thyroid specialist after indications of thyroid gland abnormalities to analyze subject compliance was also examined. Follow-up examinations were regularly conducted to assess any changes in the thyroid gland., Results: Of the 301 subjects with oral SCC, 91 had abnormal thyroid gland findings on US. As subject age increased, the rate of detection of abnormal thyroid gland findings on US significantly increased. The rate of detection of abnormal findings in women by US was significantly higher than that in men, but the male-to-female ratio was lower compared with that in previous reports. It was demonstrated that oral SCC in the floor of the mouth was associated with the highest prevalence of abnormal findings in the thyroid gland (40%), followed by oral SCC of the maxillary gingiva (39%). Of the 91 subjects with abnormal findings, 10 showed enlargement in the size of the lesion on follow-up examination with US. Eleven subjects with no abnormal findings on initial examination showed abnormal findings on follow-up examination., Conclusion: The results suggest that subjects with oral SCC have a relatively high rate of abnormal findings in the thyroid gland that can be detected by US. Scans that include the thyroid gland should be performed when surveying cervical lymph nodes for metastasis during US examination. Particular attention should be paid to thyroid gland-related diseases in older men who have oral cancer and to thyroid gland abnormalities if patients had oral SCC in the floor of the mouth or of the maxillary gingiva. It is recommended that follow-up US examinations be regularly performed in cases of oral SCC., (Copyright 2010 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.)