Epidemiological, clinical and oncological outcomes of laryngeal verrucous carcinomas: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate epidemiological, clinical and oncological outcomes of patients with laryngeal verrucous carcinomas (LVC). METHODS: Two independent authors investigated PubMed, Scopus and Cochrane Library for studies dedicated to epidemiological, clinical and oncological outcomes of patients with LVC. The following outcomes were investigated with PRISMA criteria: age; gender; tobacco/alcohol consumption; HPV infection; anatomical, pathological, therapeutic and survival outcomes. Studies were analyzed for bias through a validated clinical tool. RESULTS: Of the 212 identified articles, 15 retrospective studies and one prospective uncontrolled study met our inclusion criteria. Three studies reported findings from national databases. The males/females ratio is 9/1. Mean age was 60.3 years, which was younger compared to other laryngeal malignancies. The alcohol, cigarette overuse and the HPV status of patients were lacking in most studies. Glottis and supraglottis were the most common anatomical locations, corresponding to 78.7% and 12.4% of cases, respectively. The main therapeutic approaches consisted of surgery, radiotherapy, surgery followed by radiotherapy. Treatments reported 5-year overall survival and disease-specific survival of 86.3 and 90.8, respectively. The 5- and 10-year local control rate were 83.6 and 72.6, respectively. The 10-year disease-specific survival was 80.2. Heterogeneity between studies was found for inclusion criteria, comorbidity data, and treatments. CONCLUSION: LVC is a rare laryngeal cancer associated with better survival and recurrence outcomes than laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma. The role of radiotherapy in the treatment regimen needs to be investigated in future prospective controlled studies.

Verrucous carcinoma of the vulva: Patterns of care and treatment outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Verrucous vulvar carcinoma (VC) is an uncommon and distinct histologic subtype of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). The available literature on VC is currently limited to case reports and small single institution studies. AIMS: The goals of this study were to analyze data from the National Cancer Database (NCDB) to quantitate the incidence of VC and to investigate the effects of patient demographics, tumor characteristics, and treatment regimens on overall survival (OS) in women with verrucous vulvar carcinoma. METHODS AND RESULTS: Patients diagnosed with vulvar SCC or VC between the years of 2004 and 2016 were identified in the NCDB. OS was assessed with Kaplan-Meier curves and the log-rank test. Construction of a Cox model compared survival after controlling for confounding variables. The reported incidence of SCC of the vulva has significantly increased since 2004 (p < .0001). In contrast, the incidence of VC has remained stable (p = .344) since 2004. Compared to SCC, VC was significantly more likely to be diagnosed in older women (p < .0001) and treated with surgery alone (p < .0001). However, on propensity score weighted analysis there was a trend toward improved 5-year OS in women with VC compared to those with SCC (63.4% vs. 57.7%, p = .0794). Multivariable Cox survival analysis showed an improvement in OS in VC patients treated with both primary site and regional lymph node surgery compared to primary site surgery alone (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 0.67, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.46-0.97, p = .0357). CONCLUSION: Verrucous carcinoma is more likely to present in older women. Regional lymph node surgery in addition to primary site surgery significantly improves OS in VC patients.

Presentación inusual de epitelioma curriculatum en escolar de 12 años / Unusual presentation of curriculatum epitelioma in a 12 years old schoolchild

Introducción: El carcinoma verrugoso es una variante inusual bien diferenciada del carcinoma epidermoide que tiende a aparecer en adultos de mediana edad o mayores. Se considera una neoplasia maligna de grado bajo con cuatro subtipos principales. Objetivo: Referir la infrecuente presentación del carcinoma verrugoso en un adolescente. Presentación de caso: Escolar masculino de 12 años de edad, de raza mestiza, que acude a Consulta Especializada de Dermatología en el Hospital Clínico Quirúrgico Docente Celia Sánchez Manduley con lesión vegetante localizada en planta de pie derecho; se realizan complementarios, biopsia excisional más injerto y se concluye el caso como epitelioma curriculatum. Conclusiones: A nivel clínico, los carcinomas verrugosos se presentan en forma de tumores exofíticos con una superficie papilomatosa o verrugosa. Se asocian con frecuencia a la infección por el virus del papiloma humano, y puede ser difícil distinguir entre un carcinoma verrugoso y una verruga. Es importante el reconocimiento temprano para guiar un diagnóstico preciso y tratamiento oportuno(AU)

Introduction: Verrucous carcinoma is a well differentiated unusual variant of squamous cell carcinoma that tends to occur in middle-aged or older adults. It is considered a low-grade malignant tumour with four main subtypes. Objective: To explain the uncommon presentation of the verrucous carcinoma in a teenager and the importance of early recognition to guide an accurate diagnosis and a timely treatment. Case presentation: 12 years old, school age male, mixed race who attends to specialized consultation of Dermatology in Celia Sánchez Manduley Surgical Clinical Hospital presenting a vegetating lesion located in the right foot´s sole; there were made complementary blood tests, an excisional biopsy plus graft and the case was finally diagnoses as curriculatum epithelioma. Conclusions: At the clinical level, the verrucous carcinomas are presented in the form of exophytic tumors with a papillomatous or verrucous surface. They are often associated with the human papilloma virus infection, and it may be difficult to distinguish between a verrucous carcinoma and a wart(AU)

Head and neck verrucous carcinoma: A population-based analysis of incidence, treatment, and prognosis.

Verrucous carcinoma is a rare variant of squamous cell carcinoma. The oral cavity, genitals, larynx, esophagus, and skin are usually affected, and the head and neck regions are the most affected areas. Few studies reported about head and neck verrucous carcinoma (VC) in the literature. Therefore, we conducted an extensive population-based study about the VCs to use population-based data to further investigate the incidence, treatment, and survival of head and neck verrucous carcinoma.Patients from Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database (SEER) between 1973 and 2015 were brought into our study. The data of VCs and other head and neck malignancies (OHNMs) patients were extracted for analysis. We compared characteristics of patients with VC with those of patients with OHNMs.Results were obtained for 2039 cases of VC and 394,739 cases of OHNM. Compared to patients with OHNM, patients with VC were more often female (36.6% vs 31.1%; P < .001), younger (median age 62 vs 67 years; P < .001), and had a smaller tumor size (P < .001). VC cases were of lower histological grade and SEER stage (P < .001). The incidence of VC was 0.075 per 100,000 and decreased over time (annual change -1.855%, P < .001), whereas the incidence of OHNM showed no change. The primary treatment method for VC was surgery, with other treatments showing no significant therapeutic effect.VC is rare, with a decreasing incident trend. The outcome is better compared with OHNM patients. Surgery could significantly improve VC patients' prognosis.

Epidemiology and survival outcomes of sinonasal verrucous carcinoma in the United States.

INTRODUCTION: Verrucous carcinoma (VC) is a rare, variant of squamous cell carcinoma with benign cytohistopathologic features and a generally favorable prognosis. Epidemiologic and clinical outcomes data are lacking as a result of limited cases of sinonasal VC. OBJECTIVE: To describe the incidence and determinants of survival of patients with verrucous carcinoma of the sinonasal tract between the years of 1973 to 2014 using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. METHODS: The SEER registry was utilized to calculate survival trends for patients with verrucous carcinoma of the sinonasal tract between 1973 and 2014. Patient data then was analyzed with respect to age, sex, race, and treatment modalities (surgery and radiation therapy). Overall survival (OS) and disease-specific survival (DSS) were calculated. RESULTS: A total of 86 cases of VC of the sinonasal tract were identified. The cohort was comprised of 69.8% males. The mean age at diagnosis was 67.4 years. The nasal cavity was the most common primary site (51.2%), followed by the maxillary sinus (40.7%) and nasopharynx (5.8%). The median OS was 97.6 months. 89.5% of cases underwent surgery and 20.9% received both surgery and radiation therapy. Overall survival at 2, 5, and 10 years was 73%, 59%, and 36%, respectively. On multivariate analysis, advanced age (P < 0.05) and primary site (P < 0.05) were associated with worse OS and DSS, respectively. Primary nasopharyngeal tumor site was associated with reduced DSS (P < 0.05). Surgery improved OS (P < 0.001) and DSS (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Verrucous carcinoma of the sinonasal tract is associated with a generally favorable prognosis. Age, primary site, and surgical therapy are independent predictors of OS and DSS, respectively. We present the first population-based analysis of sinonasal VC, thus clarifying the prognosis and reinforcing the management of this malignancy. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4. Laryngoscope, 128:651-656, 2017.

[Precancerous lesions of the buccal epithelium]. / Les lésions précancéreuses épithéliales buccales.

Squamous cell carcinomas of the oral cavity and lips consistently have a high incidence (they constitute the fifth most common form of cancer in France) and carry a heavy prognosis, particularly if diagnosed late. According to different studies, between 10 and 80% of such carcinomas occur in a pre-existing or precancerous lesion. The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends the use of two terms for such lesions: precursor lesions, i.e. histological lesions associated with intraepithelial neoplasia (IEN) and verrucous hyperplasia (VH), frequently resulting clinically in leukoplakia or erythroplakia; "at risk" lesions, which include lichen planus, submucosal oral fibrosis and certain forms of genodermatosis.

Clinico-Epidemiologic Patterns of Laryngeal Cancer: 5-year Results from a Regional Cancer Centre in Northeastern India.

PURPOSE: To determine the risk factors, clinical symptoms and patterns of spread in laryngeal cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross sectional study was carried out in the Regional Cancer Centre, Imphal, Manipur, India. One hundred and sixteen patients with laryngeal cancer were retrospectively reviewed for epidemiological data and descriptive statistics were reported for various variables. RESULTS: Median age at presentation was 65 years and 32.8% were undernourished at presentation. The male to female ratio was 5.4:1. Heavy smoking and tobacco chewing was associated in 91.4% and 33.6% of patients respectively. Tracheostomy was required in 21.5% leading to diagnosis of laryngeal cancer. Almost all were squamous cell carcinoma with neuroendocrine and verrucous carcinoma accounting for less than 2%. Supraglottic, glottic and trans-glottic tumors were 56.9%, 36.3% and 6.9% respectively. Nodal metastases were seen in 81.8% of supraglottic cancers and 31.6% of glottic cancers with supraglottic involvement. Level II neck nodes were the commonest site followed by level III. Distant metastases (only liver) were apparent in 1.7% at presentation. Including these liver metastases, unresectable cases were limited to 6% of the patients. CONCLUSIONS: Tobacco use is implicated in almost all of the cases and the sex ratio has also decreased due to increased female smokers. The supraglottis remains the commonest site and incidence of nodal metastases is higher than in other countries. There is also a higher requirement for tracheostomy at presentation in this region.

Rare tumors of esophageal squamous mucosa.

In spite of increasing incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma in the last few decades, esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) still remains the dominant subtype of esophageal cancer worldwide. Apart from conventional SCC, some rare unconventional tumors of esophageal squamous mucosa are also well known. This study provides an introduction to these and presents a brief review of the literature, including the diagnostic and prognostic importance of each variant.

[Frequency of oral squamous cell carcinoma and oral epithelial dysplasia in oral and oropharyngeal mucosa in Chile]. / Frecuencia de displasia epitelial y carcinoma escamoso en mucosa oral y orofaríngea en Chile, entre los años 1990 y 2009.

BACKGROUND: Oral cancer in Chile corresponds approximately to 1.6% of all cancer cases. There are few studies about oral epithelial dysplasia and oral squamous cell carcinoma in the Chilean population. AIM: To determine the frequency of hyperkeratosis, mild, moderate and severe oral epithelial dysplasia, in situ carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma of the oral and oropharyngeal mucosa in a registry of the Oral Pathology Reference Institute of the Faculty of Dentistry, Universidad de Chile, in a ten years period. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Review of clinical records and pathological plates of 389 patients, obtained between 1990 and 2009. Cases were selected according to their pathological diagnosis, including hyperkeratosis, oral epithelial dysplasia, in situ carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and verrucous carcinoma. RESULTS: Forty four percent of cases were squamous cell carcinoma, followed by hyperkeratosis in 37% and mild epithelial dysplasia in 11%. Squamous cell carcinoma was more common in men aged over 50 years. Most of the potentially malignant disorders presented clinically as leukoplakia and squamous cell carcinoma were clinically recognized as cancer. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, men aged over 50 years are the highest risk group for oral cancer. Early diagnosis is deficient since most of these lesions were diagnosed when squamous cell carcinoma became invasive. Leukoplakia diagnosis is mostly associated with hyperkeratosis and epithelial dysplasia, therefore biopsy of these lesions is mandatory to improve early diagnosis.

Relative Frequency of Oral Malignancies and Oral Precancer in the Biopsy Service of Jazan Province, 2009-2014.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to report the types and relative frequency of oral malignancies and precancer in the Jazan region of Saudi Arabia during the period 2009-2014. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Pathology reports were retrieved from the archives of Histopathology Department, King Fahd hospital in Jazan. Demographic data on tobacco habits, clinical presentation and histologic grading of oral precancer and cancer cases were transcribed from the files. RESULTS: 303 (42.7%) oral pre-malignant and malignant cases were found out of 714 oral biopsy lesions. A pathology diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma (85.1%) was most frequent, followed by premalignant lesions/epithelial dysplasia (8.6%), verrucous carcinoma (3.3%) and malignancy of other histological types (3%) such as ameloblastic carcinoma, salivary gland malignancy and sarcomas. Oral squamous cell carcinoma was predominant in females with a male to female ratio of 1:1.9. Patient age ranged from 22 to 100 years with a mean of 65±13.9. Almost 44.6% of oral cancer had occurred after 65 years of age. Only 16.3% cases were reported in patients younger than 50 years, predominantly females. The majority of female patients had the habit of using shammah with a long duration of usage for more than 45 years. Bucco- alveolar mucosa (52.3%) was the common site of involvement followed by tongue/ floor of the mouth (47.7%) and clinically presented mostly as ulceration/swelling clinically. Moderately differentiated tumours (53.9%) were common followed by well differentiated (32.2%) and poorly differentiated tumours (5.8%). The prevalence of oral verrucous carcinoma (3.3%) was comparatively low with an equal distribution in both males and females. Both bucco-alveolar mucosa and tongue were predominantly affected. Oral precancer/epithelial dysplasia (8.6%) was common in females with a shammah habit. Bucco-alveolar mucosa was commonly involved and clinically presented mostly as white/red patches. Most cases were mild followed by moderate and severe dysplasia. Tumours of other histological types (3%) include 1 ameloblastic carcinoma, 3 malignant salivary gland tumours and 5 sarcomas. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, it was found that oral cancers reported in the pathology service to be a common occurrence. This study reconfirms previous reports of the high burden of oral cancer in this population This indicates that conventional preventive programs focused on oral cancer are in need of revision. In addition, further research into identifying new risk factors and molecular markers for oral cancer are needed for screening high risk individuals.

Frecuencia de displasia epitelial y carcinoma escamoso en mucosa oral y orofaríngea en Chile, entre los años 1990 y 2009 / Frequency of oral squamous cell carcinoma and oral epithelial dysplasia in oral and oropharyngeal mucosa in Chile

Background: Oral cancer in Chile corresponds approximately to 1.6% of all cancer cases. There are few studies about oral epithelial dysplasia and oral squamous cell carcinoma in the Chilean population. Aim: To determine the frequency of hyperkeratosis, mild, moderate and severe oral epithelial dysplasia, in situ carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma of the oral and oropharyngeal mucosa in a registry of the Oral Pathology Reference Institute of the Faculty of Dentistry, Universidad de Chile, in a ten years period. Material and Methods: Review of clinical records and pathological plates of 389 patients, obtained between 1990 and 2009. Cases were selected according to their pathological diagnosis, including hyperkeratosis, oral epithelial dysplasia, in situ carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and verrucous carcinoma. Results: Forty four percent of cases were squamous cell carcinoma, followed by hyperkeratosis in 37% and mild epithelial dysplasia in 11%. Squamous cell carcinoma was more common in men aged over 50 years. Most of the potentially malignant disorders presented clinically as leukoplakia and squamous cell carcinoma were clinically recognized as cancer. Conclusions: In this study, men aged over 50 years are the highest risk group for oral cancer. Early diagnosis is deficient since most of these lesions were diagnosed when squamous cell carcinoma became invasive. Leukoplakia diagnosis is mostly associated with hyperkeratosis and epithelial dysplasia, therefore biopsy of these lesions is mandatory to improve early diagnosis.

Prevalence of oesophageal epidermoid metaplasia in 1048 consecutive patients and 58 patients with squamous neoplasms.

AIMS: Oesophageal epidermoid metaplasia is defined by a dense granular layer with overlying hyperorthokeratosis, resembling the epidermis of skin. A possible association between epidermoid metaplasia, squamous dysplasia and squamous cell carcinoma has been proposed. The aim of this study was to compare the prevalence of epidermoid metaplasia in patients with oesophageal squamous neoplasms with that in a control cohort. METHODS AND RESULTS: Medical records and slides from 1048 consecutive oesophageal biopsies and resections for any indication and 58 patients with oesophageal squamous neoplasms were reviewed. Two cases (0.19%) of epidermoid metaplasia were identified in the 1048-patient control group. The prevalence of epidermoid metaplasia was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the 58 patients with oesophageal squamous neoplasms, two of whom (3.5%) had concurrent epidermoid metaplasia (odds ratio 18.1, 95% confidence interval 2.5-131). One case was associated with a verrucous carcinoma and the other with a well-differentiated, superficial (pT1), exophytic squamous cell carcinoma. No patients had epidermoid metaplasia in a biopsy prior to the diagnosis of squamous neoplasia. CONCLUSIONS: The increased prevalence of epidermoid metaplasia observed in patients with squamous neoplasms provides some additional support for the proposed association. The hypothesis that epidermoid metaplasia is a precursor to squamous neoplasms remains unproven.

Laryngeal Verrucous Carcinoma: A Population-Based Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Verrucous carcinoma of the larynx (VCL) is a rare entity with reportedly favorable prognosis. Current analyses are limited primarily to case reports and case series, thus making a population-based analysis useful in characterizing frequency, incidence, and survival trends to guide clinical diagnosis and decision making. STUDY DESIGN: Analysis of the National Cancer Institute's SEER (Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results) database. METHODS: Cases of VCL diagnosed between 1973 and 2011 were searched in the SEER database. Analysis was carried out with respect to patient demographics, tumor characteristics, incidence, treatment modality, and survival. RESULTS: In sum, 516 patients with VCL were identified. Males composed 88.4% of cases. Whites accounted for 88.4% of cases, with 8.1% of cases occurring in black patients. Most cases (79.7%) arose in the glottis, a statistically significant predilection when compared with other laryngeal malignancies (P < .0001). Incidence of VCL decreased from 2000 to 2011, with an annual percent change of -5.4%. Overall 1-, 5-, and 10-year disease-specific survival for VCL was 97.5%, 88.0%, and 77.4%, while 1-, 5-, and 10-year relative survival was 98.1%, 85.5%, and 74.2%, respectively. Surgery seemed to confer better prognosis when compared with other treatment modalities. CONCLUSIONS: This large population-based analysis of VCL demonstrates that this entity has a good prognosis, arises in the glottis, and is decreasing in incidence. Five-year survival seems highest when surgery is utilized. However, this finding may be subject to selection bias in high-stage lesions.

Verrucous carcinoma of the oral mucosa: An epidemiological and follow-up study of patients treated with surgery in 5 last years

INTRODUCTION: Oral Verrucous Carcinoma (OVC) is described apart of the Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC) due to its specific properties. The objective of our study is to show our series of cases of OVC and to compare with the SCC in terms of clinical manifestations, epidemiology, histopathology, treatment and follow-up. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This is a retrospective study of all the OVC treated in our department between January-2007 and December-2011. The analyzed variables were sex, age, localization in the oral cavity, histopathology, number of biopsies needed to diagnose OVC, TNM classification, treatment and recurrences during follow-up. RESULTS: Our sample was composed by n=14 patients, 57% female, with a mean age of 69.14 years. The most common localization was buccal mucosa (n=5). Seven patients were diagnosed of OVC with the first biopsy. TNM classification was: pT1: 7 patients, pT2: 3 patients, pT3: 3 patients, pT4: 1 patient. No cervical metastases were observed either in cervical neck dissection or during the follow-up of the patients. The treatment was surgery with clinical resection margins up to 1 cm in all cases, followed by radiotherapy in selected cases. Only n=1 patient (7.69%) presented a recurrence after 34 months of follow-up. The overall survival rate was 92.85%. CONCLUSIONS: In our population, OVC represents the 6.16% of all oral cavity and oropharynx cancer, and is more frequent in female patients above 70 years old. It uses to rise over a previous lesion, and usually affects the buccal mucosa. In patients with high suspicious lesions, more than one biopsy may be needed to diagnose OVC. No patient showed cervical dissemination. In our experience, treatment based on local resection, without cervical neck dissection, could be a good option for these patients (AU)

Verrucous carcinoma of the oral mucosa: an epidemiological and follow-up study of patients treated with surgery in 5 last years.

INTRODUCTION: Oral Verrucous Carcinoma (OVC) is described apart of the Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC) due to its specific properties. The objective of our study is to show our series of cases of OVC and to compare with the SCC in terms of clinical manifestations, epidemiology, histopathology, treatment and follow-up. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This is a retrospective study of all the OVC treated in our department between January-2007 and December-2011. The analyzed variables were sex, age, localization in the oral cavity, histopathology, number of biopsies needed to diagnose OVC, TNM classification, treatment and recurrences during follow-up. RESULTS: Our sample was composed by n=14 patients, 57% female, with a mean age of 69.14 years. The most common localization was buccal mucosa (n=5). Seven patients were diagnosed of OVC with the first biopsy. TNM classification was: pT1: 7 patients, pT2: 3 patients, pT3: 3 patients, pT4: 1 patient. No cervical metastases were observed either in cervical neck dissection or during the follow-up of the patients. The treatment was surgery with clinical resection margins up to 1 cm in all cases, followed by radiotherapy in selected cases. Only n=1 patient (7.69%) presented a recurrence after 34 months of follow-up. The overall survival rate was 92.85%. CONCLUSIONS: In our population, OVC represents the 6.16% of all oral cavity and oropharynx cancer, and is more frequent in female patients above 70 years old. It uses to rise over a previous lesion, and usually affects the buccal mucosa. In patients with high suspicious lesions, more than one biopsy may be needed to diagnose OVC. No patient showed cervical dissemination. In our experience, treatment based on local resection, without cervical neck dissection, could be a good option for these patients.

Epidemiology and histopathological spectrum of head and neck cancers in Bihar, a state of Eastern India.

Head and neck cancers are amongst the commonest malignancies, accounting for approximately 20% of the cancer burden in India. The major risk factors are tobacco chewing, smoking and alcohol consumption, which are all preventable. This retrospective study presents data from the histopathology register for a five year period from 2002-2006 at Patna Medical College and Hospital, a tertiary care hospital drawing patients from the entire Bihar state, the 3rd most populous state of India with the majority of the population residing in rural areas. Incidence rates based on sex, age, site of lesion, including age standardized incidence rates for males and females, with mean age of presentation, distribution of histological variants and year wise trend were calculated. Out of 455 head and neck neoplasias, 241 were benign while 214 were malignant. The most common age group for all malignant biopsies was 7th decade for males and the 5th decade for females. Malignant cases were commoner in males than females with the male:female ratio of 3.1:1, which was found to be statistically significant by the chi-square (χ2) test. The crude rate and age standardized incidence rate was 0.05 and 0.06 per 100,000 population respectively. Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) contributed about 96% of all cases, with grade I being the most common. Larynx was the most common site for malignancy, the supraglottic region being its most commonly affected sub-site. This observed incidence patterns in the region are a reminder of widespread unawareness, low healthcare utilization with virtually non-existent cancer programs. It also underlines the need to advocate for reliable cost-effective programs to create awareness, for early detection and plan appropriate management strategies. There is a compelling demand for a cancer registry in this region as well as proper implementation of preventive measures to combat this growing threat of cancer, many of whose risk factors are preventable.

Vulvar and vaginal cancer.

Vulvar cancer is becoming more common as the population ages and is primarily a disease of the elderly. Most vulvar cancers are diagnosed at a localized stage and can be cured with surgery and adjuvant radiotherapy. More conservative therapy has been the mainstay in vulvar cancer treatment, which has lessened short-term and long-term morbidity without sacrificing efficacy. Recent national and international studies continue to prove the value of sentinel lymph node technology, which is moving toward a new standard of care for women with early stage vulvar cancer. Vaginal cancer is a rare cancer that also affects elderly women. Prognosis is poor; however, adequate treatment can be delivered with a combination of external beam radiotherapy and brachytherapy, and with surgical resection for a select group of patients.

A clinicopathological study on verrucous hyperplasia and verrucous carcinoma of the oral mucosa.

BACKGROUND: Oral verrucous hyperplasia (VH) and verrucous carcinoma (VC) are two clinicopathologically distinctive oral verrucous lesions. The objective of this study was to investigate the clinicopathological features of the two verrucous lesions and estimate their relationship from China. METHODS: Retrospective review of two series of patients with histologically confirmed VH (n = 121) and VC (n = 56) between 1996 and 2009 in our hospital were conducted. RESULTS: The average age of VH was 58.5 years (ratio male:female = 1.37) with the tongue being the predominant site. The average age of VC was 64.3 years (ratio male:female = 1.15) with the lower lip being the predominant site. Multivariate analysis revealed that the elderly patient with verrucous lesion (≥60 years) was associated with 3.06-fold (P = 0.007) increased carcinoma risk compared with the non-elderly patient. The lesion located on lower lip was associated with 13.54-fold (P < 0.001) increased carcinoma risk compared with other sites. CONCLUSION: Clinicopathological features of VH and VC in China were elucidated. Elderly patient with oral verrucous lesion located on the lower lip correlates with higher risk of carcinoma.

Malignant eyelid tumors in Hong Kong 1997-2009.

PURPOSE: To determine the epidemiologic and clinical characteristics of patients with malignant eyelid tumors in Hong Kong. METHODS: A computerized retrieval system was used to identify all patients with histologically confirmed malignant eyelid tumors residing in Western Kowloon and the Southern New Territories, Hong Kong, during the 13-year period from 1997 to 2009. The patients' medical records were reviewed for clinical and demographic data. RESULTS: A total of 36 patients were identified; all were Chinese. The mean age at diagnosis was 73.4 ± 11.5 years. Women were more commonly affected. Each patient had 1 tumor. Tumors developed more commonly on the lower eyelid (n = 19; 52.8%) than on the upper eyelid (n = 11; 30.6%). The right eye was more often involved (n = 20; 55.6%). With regard to the type of tumor, 27 were basal cell carcinoma (BCC) (75%), 4 sebaceous gland carcinoma (11.1%), 2 squamous cell carcinoma (5.6%), 1 mucinous eccrine carcinoma (2.8%), 1 verrucous carcinoma (2.8%), and 1 metastatic carcinoma (2.8%). Most were treated by frozen section-guided excision and eyelid reconstruction. Recurrence occurred in 1 case only. Incidence was low until approximately 45 years of age, after which it rose sharply. The incidence continued to increase until above the age of 85 years. There was an overall increase in incidence from 0.6 per million in 1997 to 2.3 per million in 2009. CONCLUSION: Increasing incidence of malignant eyelid tumors was noticed in Hong Kong from 1997 to 2009, with BCC dominating the incidence trend. Recurrence after complete surgical excision was uncommon.