title: Distinctive clinical and microscopic features of squamous cell carcinoma of oral cavity and lip.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was undertaken to gain insight into the distinctive features of squamous cell carcinoma of the lip (LSCC) and oral cavity (OCSCC).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 37 cases of LSCC and 54 of OCSCC were compared regarding clinical and microscopic findings.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Predominance of head and neck TNM stages (HNTNM) T1-T2 in LSCC and T3-T4 in OCSCC was observed. A significant percentage (33.3%) of patients with OCSCC at HNTNM T1-T2 presented cervical lymph node metastasis and 18.75% died, whereas lymph node metastasis was absent and no patient died with LSCC at HNTNM T1-T2. LSCC demonstrated a higher number of cases with intense peritumoral inflammatory infiltrate compared with OCSCC. The analysis of the proliferative index demonstrated a significantly higher percentage of PCNA+ and Ki-67+ cells in OCSCC compared with LSCC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that OCSCC and LSCC demonstrate distinct clinical and microscopic characteristics that reflect different biologic behavior and prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Stomatology (Oral Pathology), Dental School, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, Brazil. ali.caba@uol.com.br
authors.forename: Aline Carvalho
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Batista
authors.forename: Nádia Lago
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Angélica Ferreira
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Oton-Leite
authors.forename: Elismauro Francisco
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Mendonça
authors.forename: Rita de Cássia Gonçalves
authors.initials: Rde C
authors.lastname: Alencar
authors.forename: Tarcília Aparecida
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Silva
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D002452:Cell Count; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008048:Lip Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D015996:Survival Rate