Changing incidence of oral and maxillofacial tumours in East Java, Indonesia, 1987-1992. Part 2: Malignant tumours.

A total of 2193 tumours of the mouth and jaw diagnosed at the Laboratorium Patologi Anatomi Fakultas Kedokteran Universitas Airlangga, Indonesia from 1987 to 1992, inclusive, was studied. Malignant tumours constituted 45.3% of the lesions. Almost 71% of the malignant tumours were squamous cell carcinomas. The remainder were salivary gland tumours (21.5%) and sarcomas (4.5%). The male to female ratio for malignant tumours was 5.1:4.7. The incidence of malignant tumours per 100,000 population over the 6-year study period was 2.64. The yearly incidence seemed to increase except in 1990, when it dropped. The incidence of squamous cell carcinoma over the 6 years was 2.1. Calculation of the odds ratio suggested that people aged 40 and over are 5.8 times more likely to develop squamous cell carcinoma.

Detection of human herpesvirus 7 in salivary glands.

The prevalence and cellular distribution of human herpesvirus 7 (HHV-7) in archival labial salivary glands was analysed for virus-specific DNA sequences by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and in situ hybridization signals. In addition, the cellular expression of HHV-7-encoded protein was detected by immunohistochemical staining with a virus-specific monoclonal antibody. Eleven of 20 samples were positive for the HHV-7 DNA sequence by PCR. Eighteen of 20 tissues analysed by in situ hybridization showed signals in ductal, serous and mucous cells. Some nuclei of these cells and also the myoepithelial population were positive. In immunolocalization studies, all 20 salivary glands consistently showed HHV-7-expressed protein in the cytoplasm of ductal cuboidal and columnar cells. The protein was also found in the cytoplasm of mucous and serous acinar cells that were immunopositive for HHV-7. The observations are consistent with the suggestion that the labial salivary gland is a site for virus replication, potential persistence and a source of infective HHV-7 in saliva.

Electrophoretic detection of salivary alpha-amylase activity.

Fresh samples of human whole saliva containing approximately 20-40 micrograms protein were analyzed using SDS-polyacrylamide slab gel electrophoresis systems. More than 20 protein bands were revealed by Coomassie Brilliant Blue R 250 staining. Some of the protein bands were shown to be glycoprotein-positive with PAS (periodic acid-Schiff) reagent. The protein bands with alpha-Amylase activity appeared within a molecular weight range of 120,000-180,000, which is 2 to 2.8 times higher than the normal molecular weight reported for alpha-Amylase from parotid saliva, and showed positive staining with PAS reagent. These results show that the alpha-Amylase in whole saliva appears to exist in a macromolecular form which is not dissociated in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS).

Effects of fasting on saliva composition.

The concentrations of calcium, phosphate, protein and nitrite in whole unstimulated saliva, and the salivary flow rate under fasting conditions (saliva collected at least after 6 h without food and water) were compared with those under control conditions (saliva collected within 30 min to 1 h after food). The flow rate of fasting saliva was half that of control (0.098 ml/min vs 0.208 ml/min) and no significant differences in the flow rate were observed between sexes. The concentration of nitrite under fasting conditions was 50% higher than that in control saliva (p less than 0.05). The protein concentration was decreased, but not significantly, under fasting conditions. The composition of fasting saliva with regard to calcium and phosphate concentrations was comparable to that of the control. No significant variations in these components between sexes were observed under either condition.

The ancient origins of oral pathology.

Belief in a golden age has provided mankind with solace in times of despair and with élan during the expansive periods of history. Dreamers imagine the golden age in the remote past, in paradise lost, free from toil and grief. Optimists put their faith in the future and believe that mankind, Prometheus-like, will master the arts of life through power and knowledge. Thus, the golden age means different things to different men, but the very belief in its existence implies the conviction that perfect health and happiness are birthrights of men. Yet, in reality, complete freedom from disease and from struggle is almost incompatible with the process of living.

Dental abrasion pattern in a selected group of Malaysians.

Among 350 inhabitants of two villages, 31 (8.9%) cleaned their teeth using table salt and charcoal applied to their forefinger or a Melastoma brush. As a result, all had distinct forms of abrasion cavity on the labial surfaces of their teeth. All of the above three agents are highly abrasive and injurious to both the hard and soft oral tissues. This dying practice is only popular among a very small number of persons in the older age group, and should be discouraged.

Squamous odontogenic tumor.

The twenty-fifth reported case of squamous odontogenic tumor is presented. The patient was a 39-year-old Chinese Malaysian male. The lesion was asymptomatic and did not recur after excision. It is important to distinguish this type of lesion from squamous odontogenic tumor-like proliferation. The rest of Malassez is thought to be responsible for the histogenesis of the lesion. Better understanding will only be achieved when more cases are reported and studied.

Awareness and acceptance of the hepatitis B vaccine by dental practitioners in Malaysia.

A postal survey of 730 Malaysian dental practitioners was undertaken to assess their awareness and acceptance of the plasma derived hepatitis B vaccine. Only 32% of the 325 practitioners who responded had been vaccinated, 41% intended to be and 15% categorically refused vaccination. The main reservations about vaccine acceptance were fear of side effects including AIDS, cost of the vaccine and lack of information. Vaccine efficacy was not confirmed by serology in two-thirds of the vaccinees and two-fifths of the respondents were unaware that 5% of the vaccinees do not develop a successful antibody response after vaccination. Seventy-eight percent of dentists believed that their risk of contracting hepatitis B was high or very high while 71% recalled having received needle stick injuries in the 3 yr prior to the survey. Only 13% of respondents were aware of delta hepatitis while 63% were aware of non-A non-B hepatitis. The survey has highlighted the need for dissemination of information on hepatitis B vaccine among dentists in Malayasia.

Inhibition of leukotriene release in anaphylactic guinea-pig hearts by a 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor, CGS 8515.

1. Ovalbumen (100 micrograms)-induced coronary vasoconstriction and decrease in cardiac developed tension were studied in isolated perfused hearts from sensitized guinea-pigs. Leukotriene-like material released in the cardiac effluent was assayed against synthetic leukotriene C4 (LTC4). 2. LTC4 was released in a time-dependent fashion, and release was enhanced when hearts were challenged in the presence of indomethacin (2.8 microM). The release was maximal at 2-3 min and detectable for as long as 10 min following ovalbumen challenge. Immunoreactive (ir) thromboxane-B2 (TxB2) was also detected in cardiac effluent which had been partially purified using C18 Sep-Paks. 3. CGS 8515 (0.03-1.0 microM), an inhibitor of 5-lipoxygenase, dose-dependently inhibited ovalbumen-induced coronary vasoconstriction and leukotriene-C4 release. CGS 8515 inhibited ovalbumen-induced decreases in cardiac developed tension at 0.3 and 1.0 microM, but did not antagonize coronary vasoconstriction induced by synthetic LTC4. 4. The release of cyclo-oxygenase products following ovalbumen challenge was not inhibited by CGS 8515, but was markedly inhibited by indomethacin (2.8 microM) pretreatment. 5. We conclude that leukotrienes have a major role in guinea-pig cardiac anaphylaxis, and that CGS 8515 has a cardio-protective action. The results obtained in these experiments in vitro show that CGS 8515 is a potent and selective 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor.

Teratoma of the maxilla.

This article presents a case report of an intraoral teratoma in an 11-year-old boy. The tumor contained cartilage, smooth muscle, respiratory epithelium, brain, and skeletal muscle. Two adjacent cervical lymph nodes exhibited reactive changes, but another had been largely replaced by brain tissue.