There is a distinct male predominance in head and neck cancers. The present study aimed to investigate the clinical and pathological features of male and female patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), and to simultaneously conduct a survival analysis. Patients (n = 2573) were identified between January 2008 and December 2018, and subsequently analyzed for characteristics such as age at squamous cell carcinoma diagnosis, lifestyle factors (smoking habit, betel nut chewing and alcohol consumption), pathological American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) anatomic site, AJCC TNM stage, pathological recurrence factor and interval from first diagnosis to recurrence. A case-matched comparison between female (n = 122) and male (n = 2451) patients was conducted. Significant gender differences were noted in age at diagnosis, anatomic site of the tumor, smoking habit, betel nut chewing and alcohol consumption (p < 0.001). There were no significant gender differences in the other clinical and pathological characteristics and survival conditions. In conclusion, female patients with OSCC were older than male patients with OSCC, and mostly had tumors of the oral tongue. Once patients develop OSCC, there was no difference in survival between men and women in a Taiwanese population.

Background: According to previous research, 2.8% of lesions clinically identified as endodontic pathosis were ultimately diagnosed as non-endodontic periapical lesions via histopathology, and 3.7% of these non-endodontic periapical lesions were malignant neoplasms. Rhabdomyosarcoma, a malignant tumor most commonly observed in children, is uncommon in the oral cavity. Case presentation: This is a report of a rare case of embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma in a 41-year-old female, in which the lesion was in the maxillary gingiva. The biopsy reports confirmed the diagnosis of embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma. The wide excision of the tumor, free flap reconstruction, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy were performed. Clinical, radiological, and histopathological and management aspects of the neoplasm were also discussed. Conclusions: This case report aimed to create awareness that rhabdomyosarcoma is one of the differential diagnoses of periapical lesions.

Cemento-ossifying fibroma (also known as ossifying fibroma or cementifying fibroma) is a benign osteogenic neoplasm. Pain and paresthesia are rarely associated with cemento-ossifying fibroma; thus, nerves must be preserved during excision. With the advent of computer-aided techniques, the use of virtual surgical planning and a customized template can improve the precision of resection and reconstruction, reduce operating time, and improve postoperative outcomes. In this report, we describe a case of cemento-ossifying fibroma in a female patient who underwent segmental mandibulectomy and reconstruction with an iliac bone graft. Additionally, we describe a simple and effective way to preserve the inferior alveolar nerve.

The polypeptide N-Acetylgalactosaminyltransferase 14 (GALNT14) rs9679162 and mRNA expression were associated with treatment outcome in various cancers. However, the relation of GALNT14 and head and neck cancer were nuclear. A total of 199 patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) were collected in this study, including oral SCC (OSCC), oropharyngeal SCC (OPSCC), laryngeal SCC (LSCC), and others. The DNA and RNA of cancer tissues were extracted using the TRI Reagent method. The rs9679162 was analyzed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing methods in 199 DNA specimens, and the mRNA expression was analyzed using quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR) methods in 68 paired RNA specimens of non-cancerous matched tissues (NCMT) and tumor tissues. The results showed that the genotype of TT, TG, and GG appeared at 30%, 44%, and 26%, respectively. Non-TT genotype or G alleotype were associated with alcohol, betel nut, and cigarette using among patients with OSCC, and it also affected the treatment and survival of patients with OSCC and LSCC. High GALNT14 mRNA expression levels increased lymphatic metastasis of patients with HNSCC, and treatment and survival in patients with OPSCC. Overall, the GALNT14-rs9679162 genotype and mRNA expression level can be used as indicators of HNSCC treatment prognosis.

Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 is known to be involved in the progression of several fibrogenic diseases, but its association with oral submucous fibrosis remains unclear. This study aims to ascertain whether dipeptidyl peptidase-4 plays a role in the pathogenesis of arecoline-induced oral submucous fibrosis. We assessed the expression of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 in arecoline-treated epithelial cells and the exosomes derived from cells. We cocultured the fibroblast and exosomes derived from epithelium cells and assessed fibrogenic activity by measuring collagen secretion, α-SMA expression, and gel contraction capability. An animal study was conducted to confirm the fibrogenic activity of exosomes derived from arecoline-treated epithelial cells. Additionally, we employed a dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor to assess its efficacy in mitigating fibrogenesis. Following arecoline treatment, an increase dipeptidyl peptidase-4 expression was observed in exosomes from the treated epithelium cells. When these exosomes cocultured with fibroblast, fibrogenic gene α-SMA was upregulated, increased collagen secretion, and enhanced gel contraction capability. In a mouse model, the administration of arecoline-treated epithelium-derived exosomes induced oral submucous fibrosis phenotype, characterized by a reduction in incisal distance and epithelial atrophy. These findings offer valuable insights into clinical strategies for combating oral fibrotic disease and contribute to the foundation of future research in this field.

The speckle-type BTB/POZ protein (SPOP) is an E3 ubiquitin ligase adaptor typically considered a tumor suppressor, yet its role in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) remains unclear. This study investigated SPOP expression, arecoline regulation, and its potential as a HNSCC biomarker. SPOP mRNA and its protein were quantified in HNSCC (FaDu, GMN, HSC-3, SAS, and A253) and normal oral epithelial (SG) cell lines via RT-qPCR and Western blot; arecoline’s effect on SG, SAS, and A253 cells was evaluated. SPOP mRNA was analyzed using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) HNSCC cohort, and protein localization was assessed via immunohistochemistry (IHC) on tissue microarrays. SPOP mRNA was higher in some HNSCC lines; arecoline induced SPOP in SG cells, but not in HNSCC cell lines. TCGA confirmed SPOP mRNA upregulation in tumors correlating with grade. IHC showed SPOP upregulation in HNSCC, particularly in palate and pharynx/hypopharynx sites. The nuclear SPOP-positive ratio shifted from 12.14 ± 9.82% in normal tissues to 61.26 ± 33.03% in tumors (p < 0.0001), differentiating grades and sites better than total expression. SPOP is upregulated in HNSCC and inducible by arecoline. Enhanced nuclear SPOP localization indicates malignancy and progression, identifying it as a potential HNSCC diagnostic and progression biomarker.