Cheilitis glandularis: clinico-histopathological diagnostic criteria.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:

To present a combination of clinical and histopathological criteria for diagnosing cheilitis glandularis (CG), and to evaluate the association between CG and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

The medical literature in English was searched from 1950 to 2010 and selected demographic data, and clinical and histopathological features of CG were retrieved and analysed.

RESULTS:

A total of 77 cases have been published and four new cases were added to the collective data. The clinical criteria applied included the coexistence of multiple lesions and mucoid/purulent discharge, while the histopathological criteria included two or more of the following findings: sialectasia, chronic inflammation, mucous/oncocytic metaplasia and mucin in ducts. Only 47 (58.0%) cases involving patients with a mean age of 48.5 ± 20.3 years and a male-to-female ratio of 2.9:1 fulfilled the criteria. The lower lip alone was most commonly affected (70.2%). CG was associated with SCC in only three cases (3.5%) for which there was a clear aetiological factor for the malignancy.

CONCLUSIONS:

The proposed diagnostic criteria can assist in delineating true CG from a variety of lesions with a comparable clinical/histopathological presentation. CG in association with premalignant/malignant epithelial changes of the lower lip may represent secondary, reactive changes of the salivary glands.

• Authors: S Reiter, M Vered, N Yarom, C Goldsmith, M Gorsky
• Journal: Oral diseases (Oral Dis) Vol. 17 Issue 3 Pg. 335-9 (Apr 2011) ISSN: 1601-0825 [Electronic] Denmark
• PMID: 21029266 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Chemical References

• Mucins

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Carcinoma, Squamous Cell (diagnosis)
• Cheilitis (diagnosis, pathology)
• Child
• Child, Preschool
• Diagnosis, Differential
• Dilatation, Pathologic (pathology)
• Female
• Humans
• Lip Diseases (diagnosis, pathology)
• Lip Neoplasms (diagnosis)
• Male
• Metaplasia
• Middle Aged
• Mucins (analysis)
• Oxyphil Cells (pathology)
• Salivary Gland Neoplasms (diagnosis)
• Salivary Glands, Minor (pathology)
• Sialadenitis (diagnosis, pathology)
• Suppuration
• Young Adult