Suzana C O M de Sousa

• PhD
• Chair at University of São Paulo

Melanoma is a highly aggressive neoplasm in which the neoplastic cells display melanocytic differentiation. Less than 1 % of all melanomas arise in the mucosal surfaces of the oral cavity, with purely in situ lesions being exceedingly rare tumors, but with a favorable prognosis compared with invasive lesions. We describe the clinical, histopatholog...

Background: Mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) is the most common salivary gland malignancy and is successfully treated by surgery and radiation. However, some patients have recurrent tumours and in these cases, few treatments options are available. Cancer stem cells (CSC) have been observed and isolated from different solid tumours based on the expre...

p> Objective: To compare the diagnostic accuracy of immunohistochemistry compared to real-time PCR (using a simple phenol-chloroform DNA extraction protocol) in the detection of HHV8 in small oral biopsies of Kaposi sarcoma. Also to validate the use of this DNA extraction protocol to extract HHV8 DNA. Material and methods: Seventeen cases of oral...

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AimsMetallothioneins (MTs) are proteins associated with the carcinogenesis and prognosis of various tumors. Previous studies have evidenced their potential as biomarkers in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Aiming to better understand the function of MTs in OSCC, we evaluated, for the first time, the gene expression profile of MTs in this neopla...

Awareness of the increased prevalence of syphilis is essential for early diagnosis and treatment, and to prevent the spread of the disease. Although serological studies are the primary tool used to confirm the diagnosis of secondary syphilis, biopsy of unsuspected oral lesions is not uncommon in the routine oral pathology laboratory. In these cases...

Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) has been extensively employed to improve epithelial wound healing, though the exact response of epithelium maturation and stratification after LLLT is unknown. Thus, this study aimed to assess the in vitro growth and differentiation of keratinocytes (KCs) and in vivo wound healing response when treated with LLLT. Huma...

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of Melaleuca alternifolia and Copaifera officinalis in inhibiting the adhesion of Candida albicans biofilm.Background Over 65% of denture wearers suffer from denture stomatitis, which is one of the most prevalent forms of oral candidiasis. This disease is characterised by the inflammation of the oral mucosa in con...

Granular cell tumor (GCT) is a rare neoplasm that can occur in any part of the body, but mostly they are located intraorally. Its histogenetic origin remains controversial, but it probably arises from Schwann cells and is generally benign. The tumor is typically asymptomatic and appears as a nodule, with a relatively high predilection for the tongu...

Awareness of the increased prevalence of syphilis is essential for early diagnosis and treatment, and to prevent the spread of the disease. Although serological studies are the primary tool used to confirm the diagnosis of secondary syphilis, biopsy of unsuspected lesions is not uncommon in the routine oral pathology laboratory. In these cases, his...

Ameloblastoma periférico é a contraparte rara extraóssea do ameloblastoma central, que ocorre em tecidos moles e pode causar reabsorção da crista óssea. Este estudo reporta um ameloblastoma periférico localizado na gengiva vestibular de um homem de 56 anos de idade, que apresentava extensas áreas de metaplasia escamosa, queratinização e calcificaçã...

Calcifying cyst odontogenic tumour (CCOT) is a rare benign cystic neoplasm of odontogenic origin. MMPs are responsible for extracellular matrix remodelling and, together their inhibitors and inducer, determinate the level of its turnover in pathological processes, leading to an auspicious microenvironment for tumour development. Thus, our goal was...

Canalicular adenoma (CA) is an uncommon benign salivary gland tumor that mostly occurs in the upper lip. Despite its benign nature, some patients may present multiple nodules and also microscopic growth that can be multifocal with foci of tumor within the adjacent gland. Microscopically, CA can be mistaken for a polymorphous low-grade adenocarcinom...

Awareness of the increased prevalence of syphilis is essential for early diagnosis and treatment, and to prevent the spread of the disease. Although serological studies are the primary tool used to confirm the diagnosis of secondary syphilis, biopsy of unsuspected oral lesions is not uncommon in the routine oral pathology laboratory. In these cases...

Burkitt’s Lymphoma is an aggressive form of non-Hodgkin's B-cell lymphoma. Here, we review the literature on Burkitt’s Lymphoma and briefly summarize some clinical, etiological, genetic and histopathological aspects. We also present a case of Burkittt’s lymphoma presenting as a maxillary swelling in an HIV-negative 35-year-old black man. The clinic...

Objective: To investigate the gender-related expressions of androgen (AR), estrogen alpha (ERα) and beta (ERβ) receptors and aromatase enzyme in oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC). Materials and methods: A total of 60 cases of OSCC (30 from males and 30 from females) were retrieved and submitted to immunohistochemistry. Also, steroid expressio...

Unlabelled: Fullerenes are promising candidates for photodynamic therapy (PDT). Thus, C₇₀ and novel C₈₄O₂ fullerenes were functionalized with and without an additional deca-tertiary ethyleneamino-chain as an electron source, giving rise to two distinct pairs of photosensitizers, the monoadducts LC-17, LC-19 and the bisadducts LC18 and LC-20 to per...

Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) is a non-thermal phototherapy used in several medical applications, including wound healing, reduction of pain and amelioration of oral mucositis. Nevertheless, the effects of LLLT upon cancer or dysplastic cells have been so far poorly studied. Head and neck cancer patients receiving LLLT for oral mucositis, for exam...

Objective: To perform a comparative study of the cellular proliferation in the peripheral and central fibromas. Material and methods: Immunohistochemistry for PCNA and the AgNOR technique were performed in 9 cases of peripheral odontogenic fibroma (POF), in 4 cases of odontogenic fibroma (OdF), in 8 cases of peripheral ossifying fibroma (PEOF) a...

Heterotopic gastrointestinal mucosa (HGM) is a rare entity observed in the head and neck region and occurs more frequently in male infants and children. The floor of the mouth and anterior aspects of the tongue are the most commonly affected sites. Histologically, HGM resembles gastric, intestinal or colonic mucosa with areas of squamous epithelium...

Oral leukoplakias (OL) are potentially malignant lesions that are typically white in color. Smoking is considered a risk factor for developing OL, and dysplastic lesions are more prone to malignant transformation. The aim of this study was to describe the clinical features observed in dysplastic and non-dysplastic OL in both smokers and non-smokers...

This study aimed to describe the expression of oestrogen receptor (ER)α, ERβ and aromatase in salivary gland adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC). ERα, ERβ and aromatase expression was analysed by immunohistochemistry in tissue microarray blocks from 38 cases of ACC and seven normal salivary glands. The intracellular localization and amount of total prot...

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a haematological disease characterised by the multicentric proliferation of plasma cells in the bone marrow. This relatively rare disease develops mainly in men (mean age, 60 years). The occurrence of the disease in jaws is uncommon as a primary manifestation. A 73‐year‐old man was first seen with a chief complaint of a pai...

Objective: The purposes of this study were to assess clinical, histopathological and immunohistochemical features of 22 oral neurofibromas (NFs) and discuss with previously described literature, addressing the main aspects regarding the differential diagnosis. Materials and methods: Immunohistochemical reactions included S-100, CD34, GLUT-1, EMA...

Paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) is caused by a dimorphic fungus called Paracoccidioides brasiliensis and is a disseminated, systemic disorder that involves the lungs and other organs but presents characteristic oral lesions as the prominent feature. This article reports an unusual case of a 56-year-old man who had symptomatic granulomatous lesions in...

J Oral Pathol Med (2012) 41: 400–407 Rho GTPases are proteins that regulate cell cycle, shape, polarization, invasion, migration, and apoptosis, which are important characteristics of normal and neoplastic cells. Rho GTPases expression has been reported in normal tooth germ and several pathologies; however, it has not been evaluated in ameloblastom...

J Oral Pathol Med (2012) 41: 272–280 Screening for expression of amelogenesis-related proteins represents a powerful molecular approach to characterize odontogenic tumors and investigate their pathogenesis. In this study, we have examined the presence and distribution of odontogenic ameloblast-associated protein (ODAM), amelotin (AMTN), ameloblasti...

Myoepitheliomas are rare tumours that may generally arise from the minor or major salivary glands. The differential diagnosis of this tumour should be performed along with several benign and malignant soft tissue neoplasms. The present case report describes an asymptomatic mass that arose in the soft palate of 42 year old black woman with duration...

The aim of this study was to demonstrate the immunohistochemical profile of oral inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors (IMTs) along with morphologic analysis. Three cases diagnosed as oral IMTs were selected to compile an immunohistochemical panel constituted by calponin, caldesmon, Bcl-2, desmin, fibronectin, CD68, Ki-67, S100, anaplastic lymphoma k...

Granular cell tumor (GCT) is a rare neoplasm that can appear in any site of the body, but most are located intraorally. Its histogenetic origin remains unclear. This report analyzes the immunoprofile of 15 cases of granular cell tumors, occurring in 13 women and 2 men and the lesions were located on the tongue or upper lip. Patient age ranged from...

This study examined the clinical, histological, and immunohistochemical features as well as the differential diagnoses of oral intravascular papillary endothelial hyperplasia (IPEH) to aid clinicians and pathologists in its diagnosis. Clinical features of five oral IPEH cases were obtained from medical records, and all histopathological diagnoses w...

Surgeries performed with high-intensity laser devices may be improved with accurate protocols, including the air-water spray regulation. Thus, this study sought to investigate the healing process of wounds made on the dorsum of rat tongues using an Er,Cr:YSGG laser device with different air-water spray regulations. The incisions were made on the do...

We sought to investigate the wound-healing process after photodynamic therapy (PDT) mediated by methylene blue dye (MB). Few scientific studies show the PDT roles in wound healing. One hundred rats were given a circular wound on the back, inflicted with a 6-mm-diameter punch. The animals were divided into four groups: control (no treatment); dye (t...

Orofacial granulomatosis is a generic term applied to manifestations of several diseases including sarcoidosis, Crohn's disease, Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome, cheilitis granulomatosa of Miescher, tuberculosis and foreign-body reactions. What bonds these diseases together is the presence of noncaseating granulomas. A typical clinical manifestation...

The present study aimed to detect possible differences in the data of oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC) cases diagnosed in a Dental School in São Paulo city over the last 40 years. The records of patients diagnosed as having OSCC between the years 1960 and 2008 were retrieved. The whole period was divided into four time periods. A total of 1,564...

The development and progression of cancer depend on its genetic characteristics as well as on the interactions with its microenvironment. Understanding these interactions may contribute to diagnostic and prognostic evaluations and to the development of new cancer therapies. Aiming to investigate potential mechanisms by which the tumor microenvironm...

Altered expression of extracellular matrix (ECM) components has been reported in several pathologies; however, few ECM proteins have been evaluated in adenomatoid odontogenic tumor (AOT). The aim of this study was to analyze the expression and distribution of the ECM proteoglycans: biglycan and decorin; and glycoproteins: osteonectin, osteopontin,...

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor is a distinctive lesion composed of myofibroblastic spindle shaped cells accompanied by inflammatory infiltrate that may arise in various organs. It is believed to be a noneoplastic inflammatory condition, although this is still controversial. The recognition of inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor as an entity is i...

Intravascular papillary endothelial hyperplasia (IPEH) is a benign endothelial proliferation, usually intravascular, that may mimic angiosarcoma. In this report, four new cases of IPEH involving the oral region are described. The affected sites were the lower lip, labial comissure and the submandibular region. After clinical evaluation, the complet...

Oral melanoacanthoma (OMA) is a rare benign lesion characterized by colonization of acanthotic epithelium by dendritic melanocytes. Although its pathogenenesis remains uncertain, its clinical behavior and spontaneous remission suggest a non-neoplastic nature. Clinically, it may present as a solitary or multifocal lesion; however these two variants...

The aim of this study was to compare the concentration of mast cells (MCs) in the healing process of incisions. Thirty rats were submitted to six linear incisions each, performed in the dorsal skin by carbon dioxide (CO2) and diode lasers, electrocautery and conventional scalpel. The animals were euthanized at intervals of 0h, 24h, 48h, 72h, 7days...

Follicular dendritic cells (FDCs) and interdigitating dendritic cells (IDCs) are dendritic cells found in lymphoid follicles, reactive follicles and in lymphomas. The goal of this study was to evaluate the presence and distribution of FDCs and IDCs in oral lymphomas. Immunohistochemistry reactions were applied to 50 oral lymphomas using the antibod...

Myofibroma is a rare benign nodular tumor of the soft tissues, bones, or internal organs, and may affect both children and adults. It is mostly found in the head and neck region, although uncommon in the jaw bones, where only a few lesions have been described. Radiographically, it may appear as a well-defined unilocular radiolucent entity simulatin...

Galectin-3 has been implicated in tumor progression of some malignancies as thyroid, prostate, and salivary gland tumors. Recently, it has been suggested that this protein may be an important mediator of the beta-catenin/Wnt pathway. Moreover, nuclear galectin-3 expression has been implicated in cell proliferation, promoting cyclin D1 activation. T...

Prolonged exposure of the lip to sunlight may cause actinic cheilitis (AC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Maspin is a serpin with tumor suppressor functions. This work analyzed the presence and distribution of maspin in AC and lip SCC. Sections from 36 cases diagnosed as AC (18 cases with mild epithelial dysplasia, 11 with moderate and 7 with s...

The purpose of this report is to present the clinical and histological features of a basaloid squamous cell carcinoma (BSCC) occurring in the retromolar trigone of a 59-year-old man and to relate its immunohistochemical characteristics. BSCC is an aggressive distinct variant of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) requiring recognition as a separate entit...

Annexin A1 (ANXA1) is a soluble cytoplasmic protein, moving to membranes when calcium levels are elevated. ANXA1 has also been shown to move to the nucleus or outside the cells, depending on tyrosine-kinase signalling, thus interfering in cytoskeletal organization and cell differentiation, mostly in inflammatory and neoplastic processes. The aim wa...

Blue nevus is a benign, acquired melanocytic lesion that typically manifests as an asymptomatic, slate-blue or blue-black, smooth-surfaced macule or papule. It usually measures less than 4 mm in diameter. Intraoral melanocytic nevi are uncommon compared to those found in the skin, with the exception of the blue nevus. The blue nevus is proportional...

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a frequent neoplasm, which is usually aggressive and has unpredictable biological behavior and unfavorable prognosis. The comprehension of the molecular basis of this variability should lead to the development of targeted therapies as well as to improvements in specificity and sensitivity of diagnosis. Samples...

It is still controversial whether human papillomavirus (HPV) can be considered a risk factor in oral carcinogenesis. The aim of this study was to detect HPV DNA in 50 cases diagnosed as oral leukoplakias, with different degrees of epithelial dysplasia, and as oral squamous cell carcinomas, using in situ hybridization with signal amplification (CSA-...

Clear cell odontogenic carcinoma (CCOC) is a rare odontogenic tumor associated with aggressive clinical behavior, metastasis, and low survival. We report a case of CCOC affecting the mandible of a 39-year-old man. The tumor presented a biphasic pattern composed of clear cell nests intermingled with eosinophilic cells and separated by collagenous st...

c-Jun, one of the components of the transcription factor activating protein-1 (AP-1), is suggested as a factor in malignant progression of oral lesions. c-Jun and other AP-1 components relationships with human papillomavirus (HPV) infection have been investigated, but not yet focusing on oral carcinogenesis. The aim of this study was to verify whet...

In the present study, the immunoprofile of chronic sclerosing sialadenitis, also known as Kuttner tumor, was analyzed. Two cases that occurred in the submandibular gland of male patients were submitted to immunohistochemical reactions to different antibodies. Histological examinations showed a submandibular gland exhibiting various degrees of atrop...

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor is a rare lesion composed of myofibroblastic spindle cells accompanied by inflammatory infiltrate. The objective of this paper is to report an uncommon case of inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor located in the alveolar mucosa of the mandible. A 33-year-old male presented an asymptomatic tumoral lesion, firm, pedun...

Objetivo: Analisar a prevalência do papilomavírus humano e seus subtipos em 50 lesões verrucosas orais, sendo 20 papilomas, 17 condilomas acuminados e 13 verrugas vulgares.Método: O método de escolha foi a hibridização in situ utilizando sondas biotiniladas de amplo espectro para papilomavírus humano esondas específicas para papilomavírus humano 6/...

Objective: The human papillomavirus is a group of DNA epitheliotrophic viruses associated with the etiology of benign and malignant oral warts. More than 100 types have been identified and among them, 24 have been found into the oral cavity. The aim of this study was to analyze human papillomavirus prevalence and its subtypes in 50 oral warts, of w...

Neoplasms of salivary glands represent a small group among the diseases involving the head and neck complex. In this group, the pleomorphic adenoma is the most frequent neoplasm, yet involves the submandibular gland in only 12.3% of cases. A patient presenting a swelling in the region of the submandibular gland was submitted to an incisional biopsy...

Transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta1) has been related to induce the expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) in fibroblasts during repair. Because pulpal fibroblasts seem to be somewhat different from other fibroblasts, the present study investigated in vitro whether TGF-beta1 enhances the expression of alpha-SMA in human pulpal...

Plasmablastic lymphoma (PBL) of the oral cavity is an aggressive neoplasm derived from B cell, considered to be the second more common among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-associated malignancies. As Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection has been associated with this neoplasm, the aim of the present study was to assess the presence of EBV in 11 ca...

Regional odontodysplasia (RO), also known as ghost teeth, is an unusual nonhereditary developmental anomaly of tooth formation that characteristically affects enamel and dentin formation of the primary and/or permanent dentition. In the present paper, we report a case of RO affecting a 7-year-old boy, with 9 years of follow-up. During this time, pr...

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) and polymorphous low-grade adenocarcinoma (PLGA) are malignant neoplasms of salivary glands, which are similar in histologic patterns but very different in clinical behavior, treatment and prognosis. Galectin-3 is a multifunctional protein of a growing family of beta-galactoside-binding animal lectins, which is implic...

A case of acinic cell adenocarcinoma of the left facial area of 10-years' duration in a 29-year-old man is presented. The patient reported surgical resection of a nodular lesion in the left buccal mucosa 8 years earlier in another hospital. Since then, the lesion recurred 3 times within 2 years. The first lesion and 2 recurrent ones were surgically...

Larva migrans is a condition caused by subcutaneous or visceral migration of parasite larvae, usually Ancylostoma braziliense, and is characterized by pruriginous or serpiginous lesions. This article describes a case of larva migrans involving the oral mucosa in a 24-year-old woman.

The clinical, histopathological, immunohistochemical and histochemical features of an alveolar soft part sarcoma involving dorsum surface of the tongue of a 17-year-old girl are described. This is a rare tumour of uncertain histogenesis. There has been no evidence of recurrence or metastasis after one year of follow-up.

The aim of this study was to present clinical, histological and immunohistochemical aspects of a polymorphous low grade adenocarcinoma occurring in the mandible. A radiolucent tumour, located in the right mandible, was removed from a 40-year-old woman. Radiographic and CT exams revealed that the lesion expanded bucco-lingual cortical plates and pre...

A small proportion of cases diagnosed as oral lichen planus (OLP) and oral lichenoid lesions (OLL) can undergo malignant transformation. Some authors, however, stand that only dysplastic lichenoid lesions, not true OLP, have the potential to progress to oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). The histologic diagnosis is a subjective resource and is no...

Aquamid represents a new generation of soft-tissue fillers for aesthetic facial correction and reconstruction due to its reduced quantity of particles (2.5% of polyacrylamide) and high concentration of water (97.5%). It is a biocompatible, atoxic, homogeneous, and stable product. Additionally, it has good viscosity and elasticity, and it is very si...

To perform an oral biopsy survey focused on the incidence of oral lesions in Brazilian elderly patients. A total of 17 329 oral biopsy records were analysed and divided into two age groups: elderly patients, > or =60 years old; and non-elderly patients, <60 years old. Information about sex, race, age and histopathological diagnosis (categorised in...

The aim of this study was to detect the chromosomal translocation t(12;16)(q13;p11) that leads to a gene fusion encoding a FUS-CHOP chimeric protein and has been shown to be highly characteristic of myxoid and round cell subtypes of liposarcoma, in a case of oral myxoid liposarcoma. Nested reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction to detect t...

The aim of this study was to standardize a method of DNA extraction from formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tissues (PETs) using a salt solution to precipitate protein and isopropanol to precipitate DNA. The samples were submitted to a DNA extraction method in which two different concentrations of ammonium acetate (2 and 4M) were compared with a...

Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL/L) is a rare malignant neoplasm linked to human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1). This virus has been identified in Japan, the Caribbean, and, more recently, Brazil. We report a case of ATL/L (lymphoma-type) affecting a 30-year-old Brazilian woman. She presented a painful and ulcerated lesion on her hard...

Unlabelled: Some oral cancers are known to develop from dysplastic oral epithelium. In the present study, the expression of c-Jun, c-Fos, and cyclin D1 proteins in oral epithelial lesions with different degrees of dysplasia, and in oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs) was evaluated. Eighteen cases of mild dysplasia, 23 cases of moderate to severe...

O fibroma colagenoso (fibroma desmoplásico) é um tumor de tecido mole raro de origem fibroblástica. Na mucosa oral apenas dois casos foram descritos pela literatura. Nós descrevemos o caso de uma mulher de 42 anos de idade, cuja queixa era uma lesão indolor, de crescimento lento sob sua prótese total superior. Os achados histológicos da lesão inclu...

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of the injection of two phlogistic agents, carrageenan and formalin, in the rat TMJ, and the inflammatory process induced by these substances. In this study, a total of 45 adult rats were distributed in two experimental groups and a control group. The animals were sacrificed after three hours, 24 ho...

Many studies have demonstrated that loss of TP53 gene function has an important role in the genesis of many neoplasms, including salivary gland neoplasms. The purpose of this study was to examine the mutation profile of the TP53 gene in salivary gland neoplasms. Genomic DNA was extracted from paraffin-embedded tissues of pleomorphic adenoma, carcin...

We compared the immunoexpression of 5 myoepithelial cell (MEC) markers (asmooth-muscle actin, calponin, h-caldesmon, vimentin, and S-100-protein) using 16 pleomorphic adenomas (PA), 15 adenoid cystic carcinomas (ACC), and 3 epithelialmyoepithelial carcinomas (EMC) of salivary glands. The cx-smooth-muscle actin was useful for identification of MECs,...

Carcinoma ex-pleomorphic adenoma (CXPA) accounts for 5% to 15% of all salivary gland malignancies. They are considered high-grade tumors, except when carcinomatous component is enclosed within PA capsule, when a benign behavior is expected. In order to recognize which cellular component of PA develops in carcinoma, and how the progression of the le...

Epulis is a clinical term that has longed been used to diagnose gingival lesions occurring in dogs. Attempts have been done to individualize these lesions, and classifications have been proposed, some of which attempt to correlate dog lesions to those occurring in humans. Studies have shown that although some resemblance does exist, the lesions ten...

The objective of the present study was to correlate the expression of cyclin D1 with the expression of p21 in 28 cases of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), as well as to compare the expression of both with a histological graduation of this neoplasm. Immunohistochemistry was used to obtain the expression of cyclin D1 and p21. The results of stati...

A case of dentigerous cyst in a six-year-old healthy Brazilian boy, who had a diagnostic hypothesis of ameloblastoma and keratocyst because of the extension and radiographic appearance is presented. The importance of a previous incisional biopsy and consequent conservative treatment is discussed.