title: Association of mast cell, eosinophil leucocyte and microvessel densities in actinic cheilitis and lip squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the contributions of mast cells (MC), eosinophil leucocytes (EL) and microvessel density (MVD) in lip carcinogenesis, and to establish the relationships between these biomarkers and their possible prognostic value in lip squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Archived specimens of lip mucosa (n=13), actinic cheilitis (n=29) and LSCC (n=29) were formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded, sectioned and stained with toluidine blue and haematoxylin and eosin (H&E) in order to identify MC and EL and to measure their densities. Tumour angiogenesis was estimated by determining, with the use of CD31 antibody MVD in areas with the highest number of stained microvessels ('hot spots'). Progressive increases of MC, EL and MVD were observed during lip tumour development. Correlation analysis revealed positive associations between the biomarkers during tumour progression. In LSCC samples, significant associations were found between MVD values and metastatic disease. On multivariate analysis, MVD was a predictor of risk of cervical metastasis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The densities of MC, EL and microvessels increase during lip carcinogenesis, and for MC and EL this may be related to the stimulation of tumour angiogenesis. MVD could be a useful predictor of cervical metastasis in LSCC.
authors.affiliation: Health Science Programme, State University of Montes Claros, Montes Claros, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ludmilla R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.forename: Thiago
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fonseca-Silva
authors.forename: Carolina C O
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: Marcos V M
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Rodrigo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Corrêa-Oliveira
authors.forename: André L S
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Guimarães
authors.forename: Alfredo M B
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: De Paula
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology*; D002613:Cheilitis / Q000473:pathology; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008048:Lip Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D055806:Microvessels; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000473:pathology*