Clinicopathological and immunohistochemical features of the oral lymphoepithelial cyst: A multicenter study.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Analyze the clinical, demographic, histopathological, and immunohistochemical features of oral lymphoepithelial cyst (OLEC). METHODS: Samples were retrospectively retrieved from five oral pathology services. Clinical and demographic data were collected from patient charts. Histopathological and immunohistochemical (CD3 and CD20) features were evaluated. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics and bivariate analyses (P ≤ .05). RESULTS: Seventy-seven cases were found among a total of 146 150 specimens (0.05%). OLEC was predominantly diagnosed in females (70.1%). Mean patient age was 46.51 years. The lesions arose mainly on the lateral border of the tongue (40.3%), measured up to 1 cm (61.0%), and were asymptomatic (64.9%). Twenty-four lesions (31.2%) were white. Forty-one cases (53.2%) presented lymphocytic inflammatory infiltrate with no specific arrangement. The cystic lining was composed of a non-keratinized stratified epithelium (59.7%) presenting hyperplasia (39.0%). Connection with the surface, epithelium was found in 23 cases (29.9%) and 31 (40.3%) cases had two or more cystic cavities. The lumen content was predominantly desquamated cells (48.1%). Subgemmal neurogenous plaque was found in 11/42 (26.2%) cases involving the tongue. CD20+ cells predominated in 36/63 cases (57.2%), and lymphocytic inflammatory infiltrate was not always continuous around the cystic cavity (52.4%). CONCLUSION: Lymphoepithelial cyst is an uncommon lesion of the oral cavity. The present study offers the largest sample of OLEC for which clinical, demographic, histopathological, and immunohistochemical features were evaluated. The clinical and demographic findings were similar to those described in previous reports, but the microscopic analyses revealed interesting aspects of the cystic epithelium and the lymphocytic inflammatory infiltrate in OLEC.