Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology最新文献

Background: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths, with India accounting for approximately one-fourth of global cases. OSCC often develops from oral potentially malignant disorders like leucoplakia, erythroplakia, and oral submucous fibrosis (OSF), each carrying varying risks for malignant transformation. Fibulin-4, a glycoprotein involved in extracellular matrix (ECM) remodelling, has been implicated in several cancers, but its role in oral tumours remains unexplored.

Methodology: Paraffin-embedded sections of oral epithelial dysplasia (OED) (n = 24), OSF (n = 23), OSCC (n = 23), and normal mucosa (n = 23) were analysed for immunohistochemical expression of Fibulin-4. Staining intensity and percentage of positive cells were evaluated with a semi-quantitative scoring system. Statistical analyses included Kruskal-Wallis, Chi-square, Mann-Whitney tests, and Kappa statistics to assess interobserver and intraobserver variability.

Results: Significant differences in Fibulin-4 expression were noted across groups. OSCC and OED displayed high proportions of strong Fibulin-4 expression (76-100%), while OSF showed distinct staining patterns mainly in the middle and upper tissue layers. Higher grades of staining intensity were observed in leucoplakia (82.6% were grade 2), OSMF (83.3% were grade 2), and OSCC groups (65.2% were grade 2) than the control group (78% were grade 1). The interobserver reliability and interobserver reproducibility of Fibulin-4 expression evaluated by kappa statistic was excellent( kappa ≥ 0.80). Fibulin-4 expression was high in OSCC, OED, OSF compared to normal oral mucosa and was statistically significant (p<0.001).

Conclusion: Fibulin-4 expression varies significantly across normal mucosa, OED, OSF, and OSCC, suggesting its potential role in oral carcinogenesis and ECM dynamics. Elevated Fibulin-4 expression in OSCC and OED highlights its potential as a biomarker for malignant transformation. Further research is needed to clarify its role and explore its potential as a therapeutic target in oral cancer.

Background: Oral mucoceles are common lesions involving the salivary glands, characterized by mucous extravasation or retention phenomena. Despite their prevalence, they are often underreported, leading to potential diagnostic challenges and oversight of unusual presentations. This retrospective study aimed to analyze the clinical characteristics, demographic trends, and management outcomes of oral mucoceles over a 10-year period.

Materials and methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on archival data from January 2014 to January 2024. Cases with a confirmed diagnosis of mucoceles based on histopathological examination were included. Data regarding demographic characteristics, anatomical site of mucocele, clinical presentation, biopsy type, and follow-up information were collected and analyzed using descriptive statistics.

Results: Out of 58 clinically diagnosed mucocele cases, 53 were confirmed histopathologically. The mean age of the reviewed cases was 24.3 ± 16.5 years, with a male predominance (60.4%). Mucoceles predominantly affected the lower lip (62.3%), followed by the lip region (13.2%). Excisional biopsy was the preferred treatment modality (88.7%), with the mucous extravasation phenomenon being the predominant histopathological diagnosis (98.1%). Recurrence was observed in one case (1.9%).

Conclusion: This study contributes to understanding the prevalence, clinical characteristics, and management outcomes of oral mucoceles. The findings emphasize the importance of accurate diagnosis and appropriate management strategies to optimize patient care and outcomes.

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are proteolytic enzymes involved in extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation, contributing to various pathological conditions, including periapical lesions and periodontal diseases. This systematic review evaluates the inhibitory effects of different natural and synthetic MMP inhibitors on MMP-2 and MMP-9 activities in mammalian cells, which are critical enzymes implicated in ECM breakdown. A comprehensive literature search was performed across databases, including PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane until June 2023, following PRISMA guidelines. The Office of Health Assessment and Translation (OHAT) risk of bias tool was used for quality assessment, revealing a low risk of bias across all studies. Our findings demonstrate that both natural and synthetic MMP inhibitors significantly reduce MMP-2 and MMP-9 activities in mammalian cells. These compounds offer potential therapeutic benefits in managing diseases characterized by excessive MMP activity, such as periapical lesions and periodontal disease. This review highlights the therapeutic potential of MMP inhibitors in dentistry, specifically focusing on the promising roles of natural and synthetic MMP inhibitors in protecting ECM integrity.

Background and aim: Dentistry is quite a challenging profession which demands physical and mental efforts along with patient interaction, resulting in burnout. Student burnout is defined as 'negative reactions resulting in emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and diminished personal accomplishment along with reduced academic efficiency due to prolonged academic stress'. Burnout is commonly associated with high stress levels, anxiety and depression. Students' well-being may improve if these psychological issues are addressed and managed at an early age. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of burnout in dental students of our institute and find its relationship to socio-demographic characteristics.

Materials and methods: This questionnaire-based study was conducted in our institute, and a total of 200 dental students were included in the study. Students were surveyed using a self-reported questionnaire that included 25 questions related to burnout symptoms, stress, anxiety, depression and demographic characteristics. The Google Forms questionnaire was sent via e-mail to the target students, and their responses were recorded.

Results: The study showed that the following categories of students were more stressed than others: postgraduate students (28.1%), students belonging to middle-class socioeconomic status (77.4%) and female (54.3%) students.

Conclusion: It is pertinent to mention here that in our study, we have not used any specific scale like depression anxiety stress scale-21 (DASS-21), Maslach Burnout Inventory scale, etc., Instead, we prepared a questionnaire for dental students of our institute based on anxiety, stress, etc., Hence, we are of the opinion that further research is warranted to explore additional factors contributing to burnout and mental health issues among dental students and to develop effective strategies for prevention and intervention.

Oral verruciform xanthoma (VX) is an infrequently encountered benign lesion in the oral cavity. We report an unusual case of VX on the left buccal mucosa presented as a red and white exophytic mass with a greyish white diffuse patch associated with it. A differential diagnosis of papilloma, verrucous carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma associated with leukoplakia was listed. Histopathological findings were suggestive of VX due to the presence of characteristic foam cells in the connective tissue papillae. Immunohistochemical analysis with CD68 showed strong positive immunoreactivity revealing expression of foam cells. After the excisional biopsy, the patient was followed up for the next 6 months with no recurrence. Follow-up is very essential in such a case as the exophytic lesion was associated with a potentially malignant disorder. A short review of reported recurrent cases of verruciform xanthoma is also discussed.

One of the growing concerns in scientific publishing is the rise of cloned journals. With increasing pressure on academic institutions for publications, many faculty members fall victim to these cloned journals, leading to not only financial loss but also the misuse of valuable research data. Post-graduate students are particularly vulnerable, making awareness and education about this issue crucial. Therefore, it is of paramount importance for faculty members to be aware of such scams and take steps to protect themselves from academic embarrassment. This short communication discusses the identification of cloned journals, government initiatives, and proper methods for verifying legitimate submission websites.

Introduction: Nasal morphology is a key factor in facial reconstructive procedures and forensic investigations. It is directly proportional to ethnicity, race, gender, and environment. The aim of this study is to evaluate the nasal morphological features of the Lingayat population of Mysuru (South India) as an indicator for personal identification.

Material and methods: The study involved 305 randomly selected healthy subjects (240 males and 65 females) between three age groups. Nose width and nose height were measured using a digital vernier calliper. The nasal index was calculated along with other parameters. Statistical analysis of the accumulated data was performed.

Results: The average nose width in men and women was 85.25 mm and 84.92 mm, while the average nose height was 120.24 mm and 119.93 mm respectively. The mean nasal index for males (71.29) was slightly higher than for females (71.05). The morphological classification showed the leptorrhine nose type as the most prevalent among both males (47.08%) and females (52.30%).

Discussion and conclusion: The population under the study exhibits leptorrhine type of nose and shows sexual dimorphism in the values of nasal parameters. Thus, the present study is invaluable not only in forensic facial reconstruction but also in gender determination and the identification of an unidentified individual.

Developments in tissue engineering, diagnosis, and therapy of oral diseases can be made possible by nanotechnology. The purpose of this scoping review was to assess the state of nanotechnology applications in oral pathology at the moment. A thorough search for research published between 2000 and 2024 was done using various online data bases. Relevant studies were identified, screened, and included in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines standards as per the selection criterion. A total of 57 studies satisfied the requirements for inclusion. Significant findings show that in oral disease, nanotechnology greatly enhances treatment delivery, regeneration capacity, and diagnostic accuracy. Among the most promising tools identified were nanofibers, liposomes, quantum dots, and gold nanoparticles. In the field of oral pathology, nanotechnology has great potential for novel approaches to early diagnosis, targeted therapy, and tissue regeneration. However, additional investigation are needed to solve safety and biocompatibility challenges.

Background: The morphological features of keratinisation can impact histopathological diagnosis. Routine haematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stain has its limitations in moderately differentiated cases of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).

Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the characteristics of staining and identification of keratin by routine H&E stain, Alcian Blue-Periodic Acid Schiff (AB-PAS), Ayoub-Shklar, and Modified Papanicolaou (PAP) stain in OSCC cases.

Material and methods: Overall, 30 cases of OSCC were included in experimental groups, and 20 cases of well-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma (WDSCC) and ten cases of moderately differentiated squamous cell carcinoma (MDSCC) and ten cases of normal keratinised oral mucosa (NKOM) were included in the control group. Histopathologicaly diagnosed cases of OSCC were selected, and tissue sections from each were prepared. Fisher's exact test was used for the statistical analysis.

Results and conclusions: We observed that the staining intensity was greater in Ayoub-Shklar in WDSCC and in MDSCC followed by modified PAP and AB-PAS-stained sections and the staining specificity was greater in modified PAP in WDSCC and in MDSCC followed by AB-PAS and Ayoub-Shklar in stained sections. We conclude that special stains like AB-PAS, Ayoub-Shklar, and modified PAP stain can prove to be a simple solution to detect the presence and pattern of keratin histologically. The efficacy of distinct identification of keratin pearls and individual cell keratinisation in OSCC-modified PAP stain is better. It can be used as alternative stain to H&E for histological grading of OSCC based on keratinisation.