Oral melanoacanthoma and oral melanotic macule: a report of 8 cases, review of the literature, and immunohistochemical analysis.
Oral melanoacanthoma (MA) is a rare, benign pigmented lesion, similar to cutaneous MA, characterized by hyperplasia of spinous keratinocytes and dendritic melanocytes. The pathogenesis of oral MA remains uncertain, although its clinical behavior is suggestive of a reactive origin. The most common intraoral sites are the buccal mucosa, lip, palate and gingiva. The average age of presentation is 28 years, mainly in blacks, with a strong female predilection. The oral melanotic macule (MM) is a small, well-circumscribed brown-to-black macule that occurs on the lips and mucous membranes. The etiology is not clear and it may represent a physiologic or reactive process. The average age of presentation is 43 years, with a female predilection. A biopsy is recommended to distinguish these lesions from each other and from other oral melanocytic lesions. We depict four cases each of oral MA and MM, affecting Caucasian and Latin American mestizo patients. The clinicopathological features of these cases reflect its ample spectrum, and to the best of our knowledge, it is the first example of oral MA affecting a Caucasian boy reported in the English literature. Therefore oral MA and MM should be considered in the differential diagnosis of pigmented lesions in the oral mucosa in these populations.
Carlos-Bregni
Román
R
Departamento de Patología y Medicina Oral, Centro Clínico de Cabeza y Cuello, Guatemala. roman@guate.net.gt
Contreras
Elisa
E
Netto
Ana Carolina
AC
Mosqueda-Taylor
Adalberto
A
Vargas
Pablo Agustin
PA
Jorge
Jacks
J
León
Jorge Esquiche
JE
de Almeida
Oslei Paes
OP
D049309:Acanthoma / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008548:Melanosis / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*