HIV-related non-Hodgkin lymphomas affecting the oral cavity: a clinicopathologic study of 11 cases.

BACKGROUND: HIV-related non-Hodgkin lymphomas of the oral cavity are rare lesions with aggressive clinical behaviour. The aim of this study is to describe the clinicopathological features of a series of HIV-related oral non-Hodgkin lymphomas. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Eleven cases of oral lymphomas affecting HIV-positive patients were retrieved from 2012 to 2019. Clinicopathological features regarding age, sex, tumour location, clinical presentation, laboratory findings, disease stage and follow-up were obtained. Histologic, immunohistochemical and in situ hybridization for EBV detection were done for diagnosis confirmation. Overall survival was estimated by Kaplan-Meier curve. RESULTS: Males predominated, with a mean age of 40.3 years-old. Maxilla and mandible were the mostly affected. Plasmablastic lymphoma and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma not otherwise specified (NOS) were the main histological types. Lesions presented as reddish ulcerated swellings, representing the first sign of AIDS in six cases. Stage IV were common (7 cases) and the mean HIV viral load was 10,557 copies/mL, with a mean of 266 CD4+ cells/mm3, 1,278 CD8+ cells/mm3 and a CD4+/CD8+ ratio of 0.26. Eight patients died of the disease (72.7%). Overall survival revealed that 78.2% of the patients died after 21 months of follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: HIV-related oral lymphomas present a poor prognosis usually diagnosed in advanced stages and in our series plasmablastic lymphoma was the most common subtype.

Oral Kaposi sarcoma development is associated with HIV viral load, CD4+ count and CD4+/CD8+ ratio.

BACKGROUND: Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) is an uncommon, multifocal and angioproliferative lesion, which demonstrates a poor prognosis. The aim of the present research was to explore the association of HIV viral load, CD4+ and CD8+ counts and the CD4+/CD8+ ratio on the risk of oral Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) development. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 62 patients were retrieved from March 2008 to October 2020 from the files of two oral pathology centres. Clinical, laboratory and follow-up data were retrieved from their medical files. Poisson regression was used to explore the role of history of immunosuppression and its association with oral KS development. A P-value <0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: Sixty-two patients were included in the present study (32 with oral KS and 30 with no presentation of lesions anywhere on the body). Patients with oral KS presented a mean age of 32.6 years, and male patients were more affected. The hard palate (15 cases; 46.8%) was the main anatomical site affected. The lesions were mostly presented as swellings (13 cases; 40.6%) and nodules (12 cases; 37.5%). Systemic manifestations were also observed, including candidiasis (4 cases; 12.5%), bacterial infection (3 cases; 9.3%), tuberculosis (3 cases; 9.3%), herpes simplex (3 cases; 9.3%) and pneumonia (3 cases; 9.3%). A significant correlation was observed between HIV viral load, CD4+ count and the CD4+/CD8+ ratio with oral KS development. CONCLUSIONS: HIV viral load, CD4+ count and the CD4+/CD8+ ratio are associated with oral KS development.

Radiation-related superficial oral mucoceles: An under-recognized acute toxicity in head and neck cancer patients.

BACKGROUND: Acute toxicity is usually defined as adverse changes occurring immediately or a short time after the start of oncological treatment. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Cross-sectional retrospective study performed with head and neck cancer patients who underwent radiotherapy from 2013 to 2016. RESULTS: Ten (1.2%) patients developed SOMs during radiotherapy, most (80%) of which were men with a mean age of 59.5 years at diagnosis. SOMs mainly affected the floor of the mouth (60%) between the fourth and the sixth weeks of radiation therapy. All lesions were asymptomatic and spontaneously ruptured approximately 9 days after diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: Although rare, SOMs may be regarded as an acute oral toxicity of head and neck radiotherapy.

Orbital apex syndrome affecting head and neck cancer patients: A case series.

BACKGROUND: Orbital apex syndrome (OAS) is a complex and uncommon disorder that typically damages multiple cranial nerves in association with optic nerve dysfunction. OAS is associated with several different pathologies, however; only a few cases have been reported in association with head and neck cancer (HNC) so far. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A case series of HNC patients diagnosed with OAS is described including clinicopathological data, image findings, and disease outcome. RESULTS: Ptosis and diplopia were diagnosed in four male patients with mean age of 61.2 years who were undergoing treatment for late-stage carcinomas of the tongue, larynx, and nasopharynx, eventually leading to the diagnosis of OAS. The mean overall survival rate after the diagnosis of OAS was 9.5 months. CONCLUSIONS: The current study reinforces evidence that OAS indicates poor prognosis and highlights the importance of early diagnosis.

Calcified carotid artery atheromas on panoramic radiographs of head and neck cancer patients before and after radiotherapy.

BACKGROUND: The aims of this study were to verify if head and neck radiotherapy (RT) is able to induce calcified carotid artery atheroma (CCAA) in a large head and neck cancer (HNC) population and also to compare the socio-demographic and clinical findings of patients with and without CCAA detected on panoramic radiographs. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Panoramic radiographs taken before and after head and neck radiotherapy (RT) of 180 HNC patients were selected and analyzed in order to identify the presence of CCAA. In addition, CCAA presence or absence on panoramic radiographs were compared and correlated with clinicopathological findings. RESULTS: A high overall prevalence of CCAA was found on panoramic radiographs (63 out of 180 = 35%) of HNC patients. No significant difference of CCAA before and after RT was observed. There were also no differences between groups (with and without CCAA) regarding age, gender, tobacco and alcohol use, arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, acute myocardial infarction, hypercholesterolemia, tumor location, clinical stage of disease and RT dose. However, there was a greater prevalence of strokes in patients with CCAA (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Although CCAA were frequently found in panoramic radiographs of patients with HNC, RT seems not to alter the prevalence of these calcifications.