Head and Neck Pathology

Head & Neck Pathology presents scholarly papers, reviews and symposia that cover the spectrum of human surgical pathology within the anatomic zones of the ...

List of Papers (Total 154)

Tonsillar Leishmaniasis: A Rare Clinical Entity Mimicking Malignancy in the Oropharynx – A Case Series from Northeastern Italy

Tegumentary leishmaniasis (TL) is a neglected disease in Europe, often underdiagnosed or misdiagnosed due to its variable clinical presentation. Mucosal leishmaniasis (ML) is a rare manifestation of TL, and isolated tonsillar leishmaniasis is an even rarer finding, with very few reported cases. This study aims to expand knowledge on this unusual clinical entity by describing five...

Molecular Markers in Oral Lichen Planus - Insight into Pathogenesis

Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic inflammatory disease, characterized by immune-mediated basal keratinocyte apoptosis. In recent years the importance of programmed cell death for the tissue destruction in OLP has been disputed, while at the same time an increased proliferative index has been reported in the epithelium of these lesions. OLP is considered as a precancerous...

BRAF p.V600E-Negative Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis Associated with a Periapical Cyst: A Case Presentation with Broad Review of the Differential Diagnosis and Disease Pathophysiology

Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) rarely presents in the oral and maxillofacial region, and while isolated and small collections of Langerhans-type cells have been found in periapical cysts, there have been no reported cases of LCH arising in periapical cysts. A 58-year-old female presented with isolated erythematous dry skin lesions and a radiolucent lesion of the anterior...

Oncocytic Mucoepidermoid Carcinoma of the Parotid Gland

A 30-year-old man presented with a multilobulated left parotid mass measuring 5.2 × 4.1 × 2.4 cm by imaging, and numerous enlarged left cervical lymph nodes, suspicious for metastasis. FNA cytopathology of the mass showed loose clusters of large cells displaying increased N/C ratios and ample granular oncocytic cytoplasm. A superficial left parotidectomy with radical resection of...

Cemento-Osseous Dysplasia in a Female Bronze Age Skeleton (North Caucasus)

The earliest known case of cemento-osseous dysplasia could be detected in a Bronze Age skeleton, dating back 4500 years ago in the region of the North Caucasus. Although the soft tissue was missing, sufficient diagnosis could be achieved by using different methods that prove the existence of fibro-osseous processes already in prehistory. Skeletal remains provide a direct view of...

Dermatologic Lesions with Eosinophilia in the Head and Neck

Dermatologic lesions with notable eosinophilic infiltration of the head and neck region represent a diverse group of conditions, ranging from benign to malignant proliferations. We performed a comprehensive literature review focusing on head and neck dermatologic conditions that commonly present with a prominent eosinophilic infiltrate. This review provides an overview of common...

Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis and Other Histiocytic Lesions

Histiocytoses, including Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH), comprise a diverse group of histiocytic disorders characterized by the abnormal accumulation and proliferation of histiocytes in various tissues or organs throughout the body, ranging from benign, self-limited conditions to aggressive malignancies and systemic inflammatory syndromes. These lesions present unique...

International Consensus Recommendations of Diagnostic Criteria and Terminologies for Extranodal Extension in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma: An HN CLEAR Initiative (Update 1)

Extranodal extension (ENE) increases the risk of recurrence and death in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients and is an indication for treatment escalation. Histopathology forms the mainstay of diagnosing ENE. There is substantial variation in the diagnosis of ENE and related terminology. Harmonising the diagnostic criteria for ENE was identified as a priority...

Ameloblastic Fibro-Odontoma with an FGFR1 Mutation: A Case Report

Ameloblastic fibro-odontoma (AFO) is a rare benign mixed odontogenic tumor that, after being classified for years as a distinct entity, was redefined as a “developing odontoma” in the 2017 World Health Organization classification. This article presents a unique case of an AFO with an FGFR1 mutation. We present a case of an 8-year-old child with a slowly progressive swelling in...

Investigating the Role of DNA Ploidy and Proliferation Index in Distinguishing Ameloblastoma from Ameloblastic Carcinoma

This study aimed to investigate the role of DNA ploidy and proliferation index in distinguishing ameloblastoma (AB) from ameloblastic carcinoma (AC). The study included 29 ACs, 6 conventional ABs that transformed into ACs, and a control cohort of 20 conventional ABs. The demographics and clinicopathologic details of the included cases were summarised and compared. The Ki-67...

Head and Neck Classic Hodgkin, T and NK Lymphomas with Eosinophilia

Eosinophilia is a notable feature in various hematological malignancies, including specific types of leukemias and lymphomas that may occur in the head and neck. In hematologic malignancies, eosinophilia can be primary, driven by genetic abnormalities, or secondary, resulting from cytokine and chemokine production by the neoplastic cells or the tumor microenvironment. This review...

The Impact of Lesion-Specific and Sampling-Related Factors on Success of Salivary Gland Fine-Needle Aspiration Cytology

Ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is a widely used diagnostic procedure which facilitates the differentiation of salivary gland lesions. Although the performance of salivary gland FNAC (SG-FNAC) has improved since the introduction of the Milan System for Reporting Salivary Gland Cytopathology (MSRSGC), the range of the reported performance is still wide...

Histopathologic and Molecular Insights Following the Management of Ameloblastomas via Targeted Therapies – Pathological and Clinical Perspectives

Current standard of care for ameloblastoma (conventional/unicystic - mural type) usually mandates extensive bone resection that frequently necessitates immediate reconstruction with serious sequelae, especially among young patients. BRAF-mutated ameloblastomas can be targeted by BRAF inhibitors to markedly reduce their size, enabling conservative removal of residual tumor. We...

An Unusual Histopathological Presentation of Mandibular Osteosarcoma

Jaw osteosarcoma (JOS) is a rare, distinct variant that differ from long bone osteosarcoma (LBOS) in several aspects. JOS typically appears about twenty years later than LBOS, displays a lower propensity for metastasis to other organs, and exhibits better survival rates. The dissimilarities in clinical and biological behavior between JOS and LBOS are likely due, at least in part...

Squamous Cell Carcinoma Arising in a Squamous Odontogenic Tumor of the Maxilla: Case Report and Review of the Literature

Squamous odontogenic tumor (SOT) is an exceedingly rare, benign epithelial odontogenic tumor showing squamous differentiation. It is composed of variably sized and shaped islands of cytologically bland, mature squamous epithelium within a fibrous stroma. In this report, we present a rare transformation of a squamous odontogenic tumor (SOT) of the maxilla into a well...

Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma with Fibromatosis/Fasciitis-Like/Desmoid-Type Stroma: Case Report of a Rare Subtype with Cytological and Molecular Study

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) with fibromatosis/fasciitis-like/desmoid-type stroma is a rare subtype of PTC,characterized by two distinct components: a classic papillary carcinoma component and a spindle cell proliferationresembling fibromatosis or nodular fasciitis. This stromal component adds a unique dimension to the tumor'spathology, making diagnosis more challenging and...

On Vascular Lesions of the Thyroid Gland with Emphasis on Intrathyroidal Hemangioma: Clinicopathologic Characterization of Two Cases and Review of the Literature

Mesenchymal neoplasms of the thyroid gland are exceptionally rare accounting for less than 0.5% of all intrathyroidal tumors with hemangiomas comprising merely 6% of them. The clinicopathologic characteristics of two additional examples of thyroid hemangioma together with a thorough review of the pertinent literature are presented. A 62-year-old man and an 18-year-old woman...

Primary Mast Cell Sarcoma of the Maxillary Sinus and Gingiva Mimicking Malignant Neuroendocrine Tumor: A Case Report

Mast cell sarcoma (MCS) is an extremely rare and aggressive malignancy primarily affecting bones, with limited literature associating it with neuroendocrine marker expression. This report presents a rare case of MCS arising in the maxillary sinus and gingiva. A 74-year-old man presented with a progressively enlarging ulcer on the right-sided upper gingiva. Magnetic resonance...

Surrogate Immunohistochemical Markers of Proliferation and Embryonic Stem Cells in Distinguishing Ameloblastoma from Ameloblastic Carcinoma

The current study aimed to investigate the use of surrogate immunohistochemical (IHC) markers of proliferation and stem cells to distinguish ameloblastoma (AB) from ameloblastic carcinoma (AC). The study assessed a total of 29 ACs, 6 ABs that transformed into ACs, and a control cohort of 20 ABs. The demographics and clinicopathologic details of the included cases of AC were...

Upregulation of Apoptosis Related Genes in Clinically Normal Tongue Contralateral to Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Oral Tongue, an Effort to Maintain Tissue Homeostasis

The field cancerization concept indicates the presence of pre-cancerous changes in clinically normal tissue surrounding the tumor. In squamous cell carcinoma of the oral tongue (SCCOT) which is infrequently linked to human papillomavirus infection, we have previously reported that clinically normal tongue contralateral to tumor (NTCT) is molecularly abnormal. Here, combining our...

Metastatic Intestinal Adenocarcinoma: A Rare Case Involving the Mandible

Metastatic intestinal adenocarcinoma involving the mandible is rare, posing diagnostic challenges because of its unusual presentation. A 55-year-old male presented with a rapidly growing mass in the right mandible, accompanied by facial asymmetry and vestibular obliteration. Histopathological examinations revealed features consistent with adenocarcinoma. Immunohistochemical...

Palisading Adenocarcinoma

Palisading adenocarcinoma is a morphologically distinct salivary gland neoplasm that has been recently described with predilection to the sublingual gland. We report our experience with this neoplasm to corroborate and enrich the literature and further clarify its phenotype.

Malignant Recurrence of Benign Odontogenic Tumors (A Single Center Cross-Sectional Study)

Despite their rarity, malignant odontogenic tumors (MOT) represent an important group of oral lesions characterized by their variable clinical presentations and sometimes unexpected biological behavior. The purpose of this retrospective cross-sectional study was to evaluate the number, types, and frequency of MOT and to investigate the relative rate of malignant transformation in...

Simultaneous p53 and p16 Immunostaining for Molecular Subclassification of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinomas

Our aim was to assess the ability of simultaneous immunohistochemical staining (IHC) for p16 and p53 to accurately subclassify head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) as HPV-associated (HPV-A) versus HPV-independent (HPV-I) and compare p53 IHC staining patterns to TP53 mutation status, p16 IHC positivity and HPV status. We stained 31 HNSCCs for p53 and p16, and performed...