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Objective: Histopathological grading of oral epithelial dysplasia (OED) is the current standard for stratifying cancer progression risk but is associated with subjectivity and variability. This problem is not commonly seen regarding the grading of epithelial dysplasia in other sites. This systematic review aims to compare grading systems for oral, anal, penile, and cervical epithelial dysplasia to determine their predictive accuracy for recurrence and malignant transformation (MT) outcomes. Methods: The review protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42023403035) and was reported according to the PRISMA checklist. A comprehensive search was performed in the main databases and gray literature. The risk of bias in individual studies was analyzed using the Joanna Briggs Institute checklist for each study design. Results: Forty‐six studies were deemed eligible and included in this systematic review, of which 45 were included in the quantitative analysis. Meta‐analysis revealed that the binary system demonstrated a higher predictive ability for MT/recurrence of OED compared to multilevel systems. Higher predictive accuracy of MT was also observed for binary grading systems in anal intraepithelial neoplasia. Conclusions: No significant difference was found between the current grading systems of epithelial dysplasia in different body parts. However, binary grading systems have shown better clinical outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer disclosure represents a complex healthcare dynamic. Physicians or caregivers may be prompted to withhold diagnosis information from patients. This study aims to comprehensively map and synthesize available evidence about diagnosis nondisclosure regarding head and neck cancer (HNC) patients. Following the Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines, a scoping review was conducted across major databases without period restriction, yielding 9238 publications. After screening and selection, a descriptive synthesis was conducted. Sixteen studies were included, primarily conducted in academic settings (75%) from Europe and Asia, with a total population of 662 patients predominantly diagnosed with brain, oral, pharyngeal, or laryngeal tumors. Remarkably, 22.51% of patients were unaware of their diagnosis. Although physicians were the main source of diagnostic information (35%), they reported to often use vague terms to convey malignancy. Additionally, 13.29% of patients were aware of their diagnosis from sources other than doctors or caregivers. Caregivers (55%) supported diagnosis concealment, and physicians tended to respect family wishes. A high diagnosis-to-death interval, education, and age significantly influenced diagnosis disclosure. HNC patients expressed a desire for personalized open communication. Multiple factors influenced the decision on diagnosis disclosure. Current evidence on this topic varies significantly, and there is limited research on the consequences of nondisclosure. These findings reflect the underestimation of the patients' outlook in the diagnosis process and highlight the need for further research, aiming to establish open communication and patient autonomy during the oncological journey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteopontin (OPN) is a calcium‐binding glycol‐phosphoprotein present in many physiologic and pathological processes. This protein can control bone cell adhesion, osteoclastic activity, and bone matrix mineralization. However, its participation in pathological processes such as atherosclerosis, sarcoidosis, tuberculosis, and cancer have been described. Some studies have shown that OPN may participate in the development and progression of oral cancer. Although the role of OPN in oral cancer is not fully understood, some studies have suggested that this protein may induce malignant phenotype of cells by activation of PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, which favors cell proliferation, invasion, metastasis, angiogenesis, and failure of treatment. This review discusses the possible mechanism of involvement of OPN in oral cancer and its potential clinical application in diagnosis and prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pierre Fauchard, considered the father of dentistry, contributed to the development of different fields of dentistry that we know today. However, the contribution of this important individual to the fields of oral medicine and oral and maxillofacial pathology is unknown. This study aimed to identify Pierre Fauchard's contribution to these areas of dentistry. We focused on " Le Chirurgien Dentiste, or Traité des Dents " in both French and English, looking for information about the oral diseases diagnosed and treated by Fauchard. Information on patient history, disease description, treatment applied, and clinical follow-up was collected. A contemporary analysis of the diseases was performed, and the collected data were systematized, reported, and analyzed descriptively, according to the current literature on the addressed topics. Information on conditions such as scurvy, parulides, epulides, oral ulcers, dentoalveolar abscesses, dental alterations, and post-exodontia incidents were elucidated. Findings indicated that Pierre Fauchard described, diagnosed, and treated different soft and hard tissue diseases of great interest to the fields of oral medicine and oral and maxillofacial pathology., (Copyright 2024 © American Academy of the History of Dentistry.)

Colonialism's enduring impact on Brazil has had significant implications for health and oncology outcomes. This historical essay delves into the profound changes brought about by the transatlantic slave trade from Africa to the Americas, particularly in terms of its influence on the economy, sociocultural habits, and health outcomes. This essay explores the enduring connections between the colonial period's operational dynamics in Brazil and the current epidemiological panorama of head and neck cancer (HNC). The examination provides original insights on the role of tobacco and alcohol production and consumption, alongside the investigation of structural racism, which contributes to disparities in access to diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis for patients with HNC. This article presents novel visions and an analysis of evidence-based strategies to disrupt the adverse impact of colonialism's legacy on the epidemiology of HNC in Brazil., Competing Interests: We, the authors of this manuscript, declare that there is no financial relationship with any commercial association, current or within the past 2 years, which might pose a potential, perceived, or real conflict of interest. This includes grants, patent-licensing arrangements, consultancies, stock or other equity ownership, advisory board memberships, or payments for conducting or publicizing our study. The authors also state the material is original, has not been published elsewhere, and is being submitted only to The Lancet Regional Health—Americas., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Background: MCs (MCs) have been ascribed to mediating several diseases, including malignant neoplasms. These cells can play a role in angiogenesis, tissue remodeling and immune modulation and favor neoplasm progression. Despite the studies analyzing the contribution of MCs in odontogenic lesions, its biological behavior in ameloblastomas (AMBs) and odontogenic keratocysts (OKCs) remains unclear. This study aims to detect MCs in OKCs and AMBs and clarify the role of MCs in these lesions., Material and Methods: A total of 40 odontogenic lesions were analyzed. This included 20 OKCs and 20 AMBs, 10 being the solid type and the other 10 being the unicystic type of AMB. All cases were histologically reviewed in hematoxylin-eosin. Clinical data, such as age, gender, location, size, radiographic presentation and, histologic patterns were collected from the clinical charts. The Mann-Whitney U test (MWU) was used verify the hypothesis, through inferential statistics. The level of significance used in the statistical test was 0.5%., Results: MCs were observed in 60% of OKCs, and 35% of AMBs. The ratio of MCs observed in OKCs was 0.37, 0.48 in solid AMBs and 0.01 in unicystic AMBs. There was no significant difference between number of MCs in AMBs and OKCs, however, a significant difference was observed between solid and unicystic AMBs ( p ≤ 0.01)., Conclusions: MCs may play an important role in the biological behavior of AMBs and OKCs. However, in this study it was not possible to confirm the contribution of MCs in the biological behavior of these lesions and more studies are needed to clarify this relation. Key words: AMB, OKC, MCs, histochemistry, toluidine blue., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest All authors declare no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the authorship and publication of this article., (Copyright: © 2020 Medicina Oral S.L.)