Oral cancer screening outcomes in the Latin American region with special relevance to Brazil and Cuba: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND:  The Latin American region represents a hotspot for oral cancer incidence and mortality. To reduce oral cancer mortality rates, screening for early detection of subjects with suspicious or innocuous oral lesions has been promoted. A systematic review was performed to assess the outcomes of oral cancer screening in the Latin American region. MATERIAL AND METHODS:  An electronic search was conducted in eight databases and grey literature. The eligibility criteria included screening where adult participants underwent any screening test during an organized screening program. Screening programs were assessed to understand trends in oral cancer diagnosis. Rates of oral cancers diagnosed in screening programs were classified as increase, decrease, or stable based on each year assessed. RESULTS:  Following our searches, twelve studies conducted in Brazil and Cuba were included. The screening tests reported were visual oral examination (VOE) and in one study in addition light-based fluorescence testing. 13,277,608 individuals were screened and a total of 1,516 oral cancers were detected (0.01%). Only two studies aimed to screen high-risk individuals (smokers and drinkers). Oral cancer cases diagnosed during screening programs were proportionately stable over the years 1997 to 2009 but increased from 2010 to 2021. The fluorescence-associated VOE test demonstrated a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 90%. Similarly, the VOE test alone exhibited a sensitivity of 100%, with specificity ranging from 75% to 90%. CONCLUSIONS:  Screening studies conducted in Latin American countries had serious limitations both in methodology (lack of examiner training) and in reporting data (lack of description of clinical categories of screen positives). Capacitation of health workers to perform VOE in well-designed screening programs should be implemented.

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.

Uncommon oral manifestation of lichen sclerosus: critical analysis of cases reported from 1957 to 2016.

BACKGROUND: Lichen sclerosus is a mucocutaneous autoimmune disease which might be initiated by infectious pathogens as Borrelia Bugrdorferi and HPV. This disease shows destructive potential and is rarely diagnosed in oral mucosa. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the characteristics of cases described in literature from 1957 to 2016, looking to provide valuable evidence about clinicopathologic features of this disease. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A MedLine search was performed aiming to find oral lichen sclerosus cases in literature and discuss its demographical and pathological characteristics as well as treatment methods performed for these cases. RESULTS: 34 oral lichen sclerosus cases with histological confirmation and one clinicopathologic study linked with this disease were found in literature. Oral lichen sclerosus affected most commonly female patients, were asymptomatic and not associated to skin or genital lesions. Furthermore, affected patients in a range of 7 - 70-years old (Average age = 31.81). CONCLUSIONS: Oral lichen sclerosus is a rare pathologic process with slight predilection for prepubertal girls, for which topical corticosterois have demonstrated satisfactory therapeutic value.

Detection of HPV in mouth floor squamous cell carcinoma and its correlation with clinicopathologic variables, risk factors and survival.

The human papillomavirus (HPV) has been historically associated with head and neck cancers, although its role in oral carcinogenesis remains poorly defined. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of HPV in mouth floor squamous cell carcinoma and correlate it with clinicopathologic variables, risk factors and survival. HPV presence was evaluated by nested polymerase chain reaction (nPCR) in 29 paraffin-embedded specimens of mouth floor squamous cell carcinoma. HPV DNA was detected in 17.2% (5 of 29) of the specimens; the highest prevalence was observed in non-smoking patients over the age of 60 years. All HPV DNA positive specimens were detected in men with clinical stage III and IV lesions, being most of which were moderately differentiated. Despite this correlation there were no statistically significant differences observed among the analyzed variables, including patients' survival. The relatively low incidence of HPV DNA present in these tumors suggests that this virus does not, by itself, have a significant role in the development of mouth floor squamous cell carcinoma.

Clinical evaluation of an ointment with 10% metronidazole and 2% lidocaine in the treatment of alveolitis.

AIM: In this study, the authors evaluate the use of a 10% metronidazole and 2% lidocaine ointment, using a lanolin base and mint as flavoring, to treat alveolitis in humans. METHODS: Twenty-five patients, with a diagnosis of alveolitis, were treated in the following way: locoregional anesthesia; surgical cleaning of the socket with alveolar curettes; saline solution irrigation with a 20 ml disposable syringe; and complete filling of the socket with the ointment. RESULTS: The analysis of the results showed that the painful symptoms were severe before and on the day of the treatment in 17 (68%) of the 25 patients treated. Post-treatment analysis presented 2 patients (18%) with severe painful symptoms after 24 h of the treatment and complete remission of painful symptoms after 48 h of the treatment with the ointment. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the results, it is possible to conclude that the 10% metronidazole and 2% lidocaine ointment, with mint flavoring and lanolin as a base, can be used to treat alveolitis.