Peripheral Giant Cell Granuloma - A Case Report of a 9-Year-Old Male Child.

"Giant cell epulis" nowadays known as "peripheral giant cell granuloma" (PGCG) is a soft tissue benign overgrowth seen in the oral cavity. It is a type of reactive exophytic lesion of gingiva whose etiology is still not specific. Peripheral giant cell lesion may not be a life-threatening condition but when the size of the lesion exceeds a certain limit it hampers day-to-day activity of the oral cavity. It may also have a psychological effect on the person. We report a case of a 9-year-old boy with a large peripheral giant cell lesion, which interfered with his chewing habits. The purpose of reporting this case is to create awareness about peripheral giant cell lesions and its treatment modality. Under general anesthesia, the soft tissue growth was excised using an electrocautery that was approximately 5.3 cm in length and 2 cm in width. The patient was reviewed on the 7th day (postoperative), followed by 10, 20, and 30 days. After this, the patient was reviewed monthly for 6 months. Healing was successful without any events. Proper history taking is mandatory before coming to a final diagnosis. Various diagnostic aids help in coming to a confirmatory diagnosis. Complete surgical excision and elimination of any irritant factor along with clearing of the base of the lesion is mandatory to avoid recurrence rate and have a complete uneventful healing.

Accuracy of Narrow-Band Imaging-Guided Histopathology and Ki-67 Index in Head and Neck Carcinoma.

As per Globocan 2012, every year the incidence of head and neck cancer is 683235/1000000 with a mortality of around 375665/1000000 thus being the sixth cause of cancer death throughout the world. Head and neck cancer includes cancer of the nasopharynx, oropharynx, hypopharynx, larynx, and oral cavity. Early diagnosis of head and neck cancer is very challenging, hence detecting mucosal lesions at an early stage decreases mortality thereby improving overall survival, disease-free survival, and quality of life. Out of different diagnostic modalities, narrow-band imaging (NBI) combined with endoscopic techniques can provide a promising diagnostic tool in detecting early lesions of head and neck cancer. Numerous studies have shown that Ki-67 is a good prognostic marker in oral cancers. Our study aims to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of NBI and combine the Ki-67 index to diagnose head and neck cancer. Materials and Methods: All patients were first examined under white light and then under NBI endoscopy, and a biopsy was obtained from suspected lesions and sent for histopathological examination (HPE) and Ki-67 index. Results: Eighty patients were examined out of which, 68 patients having lesions in the oral cavity, oropharynx, larynx, and hypopharynx were examined. The rate of detecting cancerous lesion by white light and NBI were respectively 92% and 100% for oral cavity lesions, 69% and 100% for oropharyngeal lesions, 38% and 100% for hypopharyngeal lesions, and 37% and 100% for laryngeal carcinoma. However, we have found no significant difference in detecting T2-T4 tumors. Hence, we concluded that NBI mode can be a significantly better diagnostic tool than white light mode in detecting early mucosal cancer in head and neck cancer. Conclusion: We have concluded that NBI combined with Ki-67 estimation is a very promising tool that helps in the early diagnosis of mucosal lesions in head and and neck cancer.

Alteration in the expression of MGMT and RUNX3 due to non-CpG promoter methylation and their correlation with different risk factors in esophageal cancer patients.

Promoter methylation reflects in the inactivation of different genes like O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase DNA repair gene and runt-related transcription factor 3, a known tumor suppressor gene in various cancers such as esophageal cancer. The promoter methylation was evaluated for O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase and runt-related transcription factor 3 in CpG, CHH, and CHG context (where H is A, T, or C) by next-generation sequencing. The methylation status was correlated with quantitative messenger RNA expression. In addition, messenger RNA expression was correlated with different risk factors like tobacco, alcohol, betel nut consumption, and smoking habit. CpG methylation of O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase promoter had a positive association in the development of esophageal cancer (p < 0.05), whereas runt-related transcription factor 3 promoter methylation showed no significant association (p = 1.0) to develop esophageal cancer. However, the non-CpG methylation, CHH, and CHG were significantly correlated with O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (p < 0.05) and runt-related transcription factor 3 (p < 0.05) promoters in the development of esophageal cancer. The number of cytosine converted to thymine (C→T) in O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase promoter showed a significant correlation between cases and controls (p < 0.05), but in runt-related transcription factor 3 no such significant correlation was observed. Besides, messenger RNA expression was found to be significantly correlated with promoter hypermethylation of O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase and runt-related transcription factor 3 in the context of CHG and CHH (p < 0.05). The CpG hypermethylation in O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase showed positive (p < 0.05) association, whereas in runt-related transcription factor 3, it showed contrasting negative association (p = 0.23) with their messenger RNA expression. Tobacco, betel nut consumption, and smoking habits were associated with altered messenger RNA expression of O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (p < 0.05) and betel nut consumption and smoking habits were associated with runt-related transcription factor 3 (p < 0.05). There was no significant association between messenger RNA expression of O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase and runt-related transcription factor 3 with alcohol consumption (p = 0.32 and p = 0.15). In conclusion, our results suggest that an aberrant messenger RNA expression may be the outcome of CpG, CHG, and CHH methylation in O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase, whereas outcome of CHG and CHH methylation in runt-related transcription factor 3 promoters along with risk factors such as consumption of tobacco, betel nut, and smoking habits in esophageal cancer from Northeast India.

Vascular leiomyosarcoma of thigh - A rare tumour at an unusual site.

Leiomyosarcomas of vascular origin are rare. They originate from the smooth muscles of tunica media of major blood vessels. The majority of such tumours arising in the extremities affect the femoral vascular bundle. There is limited knowledge and experience of the clinical presentation, pathological reports and results of treatment of this type of tumour. A case of primary leiomyosarcoma of femoral vein is being reported from a subtropical region of India that developed over the right thigh of a 35-year-old male farmer and was clinically diagnosed as benign soft tissue tumour. The diagnosis was confirmed by histopathology and immunohistochemistry.

Chromoblastomycosis - A clinical mimic of squamous carcinoma.

Chromoblastomycosis is a chronic fungal infection of the skin and subcutaneous tissue caused by dematiaceous fungi. We report a case of chromoblastomycosis caused by Fonsecaea pedrosoi from a subtropical region of India that developed over the left foot of a 45-year-old male farmer and was provisionally diagnosed as squamous cell carcinoma. The patient presented with irregular warty growths over the left foot, which had started one year previously, and has gradually progressed over a year to involve the lateral aspect of left leg. The diagnosis of chromoblastomycosis was confirmed by histopathology and fungal culture.