Objectives: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common oral malignancy with low survival as it is very often diagnosed at an advanced stage, which is why the accurate profiling of the tumor is essential. The aim of this study was to, for the first time, compare in OSCC the frequency of AR, VEGF, MMP9, HiF1beta and Ki67 between the non-metastatic and metastatic disease. Materials and Methods: In the study, 96 non-metastatic and 91 metastatic OSCC patients were analysed for AR, VEGF, MMP9, HiF1beta and Ki67 levels by immunohistochemistry. Results: All of the tested biomarkers significantly differed between non-metastatic and metastatic disease. A significant association was found between >/=20% AR positive epithelium cells in cytoplasm, Ki67 and VEGF in cancer stroma. Ki67, HiF1beta, VEGF and MMP9 were significantly associated with TNM stages. Conclusion: Our results show for the first time an interplay between AR, VEGF, MMP9, HiF1beta and Ki67 in OSCC which may contribute to better diagnostics and therapy selection.

There are two types of keratinized cystic lesions arising in the jaw - developmental cysts of odontogenic origin (odontogenic keratocyst - OKC and orthokeratinized odontogenic cyst - OOC) and epidermoid cyst (EC) of undetermined origin. These lesions have overlapping histopathological features and their treatment depends on the correct diagnosis. The aim of our study was to determine diagnostically relevant differences between these cysts and to establish criteria for diagnosing intraosseous EC. An immunohistochemical analysis comprised of various cytokeratins, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), epithelial membrane antigen (EMA), epithelial cell adhesion molecules family member BerEP4, apoptosis-related markers bcl-2 and calretinin, stem cell marker CD44, tumor suppressor gene p63 and proliferation activity marker Ki-67 was performed on 25 OKCs, 8 OOCs and 11 ECs. CK5/6 was positive in all layers of both OKCs and OOCs, but only in the basal layer of all ECs. CK8/18 and CK19 revealed strong basal and suprabasal positivity in all OKCs, weak basal positivity in OOCs, and negative expression in all ECs. BerEP4 and Bcl-2 revealed positivity in all OKCs while being negative in OOCs and ECs. The results of our study suggest that BerEP4 and Bcl-2 positivity may be useful in distinguishing between OKCs and the other keratinized jaw cysts. Orthokeratinized lesions within the jaw should be defined as OOCs, while intraosseal EC should be diagnosed only if immunohistochemical staining points to ectodermal origin, thus suggesting congenital or post-traumatic inclusion of the oral epithelium.

Background and Clinical Significance: Abdominal wall endometriosis (AWE) is an ectopic endometrial tissue embedded into the anterior abdominal wall, mainly infiltrating the rectus abdominis or oblique muscles and subcutaneous tissue. In most cases, AWE is associated with surgical scars after obstetrical and gynecological, as well as non-gynecological surgeries. Case Presentation: A 51-year-old female patient presented to the ultrasound outpatient clinic with a non-cyclic painful, palpable nodular mass located in the postoperative scar in the right lower abdominal quadrant. She underwent an appendectomy at the age of 9 (premenarchal period). The patient had regular menstrual cycles, one cesarean section and two vaginal deliveries, denied any trauma to that abdominal region, and had no history of pelvic endometriosis. Her past medical history was also remarkable for left-sided breast cancer, and she was worried it could be metastasis. Following imaging evaluation, a preliminary diagnosis was a benign lesion in the post-appendectomy scar, most likely a suture granuloma, also known as Schloffer’s tumor. Fine-needle aspiration was performed, and findings were primarily suspicious for AWE. The patient was then referred to an abdominal surgeon for excision of the affected area, and subsequent histopathological analysis confirmed that the mass was AWE. Conclusions: Imaging findings of a mass in the abdominal wall are not pathognomonic for AWE; only histopathological examination can confirm the diagnosis. If a painful nodular mass is located adjacent to a surgical scar in a female patient, AWE should be a leading consideration in the differential diagnosis, along with suture granuloma in cases of old surgical scars.