Tumors of the labial mucosa: a retrospective study of 1045 biopsies.

Em Kalogirou,Mg Balta,Ki Tosios,A Tosiou,Ng Nikitakis,M Koufatzidou

doi:10.4317/medoral.23933

Abstract

Background To investigate the relative frequency of localized mucosal swellings of the upper and lower labial mucosa, the clinical-pathological diagnosis agreement and whether patient’s age and gender and tumor’s site and size may raise the suspicion of neoplasm. Material and Methods Retrospective analysis was performed on upper or lower labial mucosal tumors, histopathologically diagnosed between 2009-2018. The diagnostic categories developmental/reactive tumors, benign and malignant neoplasms were associated with patient’s age and gender and tumor’s site and size; clinical-pathological diagnosis agreement was, also, evaluated. Results Overall, 1000 (95.7%) developmental/reactive tumors, 35 (3.3%) benign and 10 (1%) malignant neoplasms were found. Upper/lower lip tumor ratio was 0.14:1. The diagnostic category was significantly associated with age (p<0.0001), site (p<0.0001) and diameter (p<0.0001). Age ≥60 years, tumor’s location on the upper lip and diameter >1cm were independent predictors for neoplasms. Patients presenting 2 or 3 of these variables were 20.2 times (p < 0.0001) or 33.6 times (p <0.0001), respectively, more likely to have a neoplasm. Complete/partial agreement between clinical and pathological diagnosis was seen in 96.3% of the cases. Conclusions Most lip tumors involve the lower lip and are reactive, but upper lip tumors measuring >1cm in patients≥60 years have significantly higher probability to be neoplasms. Key words:Lip, tumor, neoplasm, carcinoma, cyst.

Highlights

Lips have a prominent position in the human face and any lip lesion will be identified early and usually prompt the patient to ask for medical advice, either due to diagnostic or aesthetic purposes [1,2]
In the 10-year study period 10,897 biopsies were accessioned in our Department; 1407 (12.9%) of them were from the labial mucosa and 1045 (74.3%) of the latter were described as tumors
After adjustment for covariates, the analysis revealed that a lip tumor found in patients ≥60 years was 4.6 times more likely to be neoplastic compared to a lip tumor found in individuals younger than 60 years (p

Summary

Introduction

Lips have a prominent position in the human face and any lip lesion will be identified early and usually prompt the patient to ask for medical advice, either due to diagnostic or aesthetic purposes [1,2]. The main aim of the present study was to evaluate this clinical observation by recording and comparing the relative frequency of localized mucosal swellings of the upper and lower labial mucosa. We compared the clinician’s impression, reflected in the clinical diagnosis, with the histopathological diagnosis and investigated whether the age and gender of the patient and the site and size of the tumor might raise the suspicion of a neoplasm. To investigate the relative frequency of localized mucosal swellings of the upper and lower labial mucosa, the clinical-pathological diagnosis agreement and whether patient’s age and gender and tumor’s site and size may raise the suspicion of neoplasm. The diagnostic categories developmental/reactive tumors, benign and malignant neoplasms were associated with patient’s age and gender and tumor’s site and size; clinical-pathological diagnosis agreement was, evaluated. Conclusions: Most lip tumors involve the lower lip and are reactive, but upper lip tumors measuring >1cm in patients≥60 years have significantly higher probability to be neoplasms

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Conclusion