Oral squamous cell carcinoma accounts for 90% to 95% of all oral malignancies. Though its diagnosis seldom presents difficulty, it is the cancer staging and histopathological grading that are important to prognostication; and micronuclei are good prognostic indicators. Micronucleus frequencies in oral exfoliated cells stained with papanicolaou stain were counted and correlated with the histopathological grades and clinical stages of squamous cell carcinoma patients. They were also compared with healthy control subjects. Micronuclei (MN) frequencies were found higher in squamous cell carcinoma patients than in control subjects. MN frequencies were also found to be raised with increasing histological grades of squamous cell carcinoma.

The aim of this study was to review all the cases of central giant cell lesions (CGCLs) of the jaws which appeared in archives of Government Dental College and Hospital, Nagpur, during the period 1978-2004. CGCLs which were termed 'aggressive' based on clinical behavior were compared with 'non-aggressive' lesions in order to evaluate if any histologic difference existed between them. In addition, a study of silver (Ag) nucleolar organizing regions (AgNOR) counts was performed to delineate lesions of varying behavior. A total of 34 cases were examined for clinical and radiologic features, and 27 cases were evaluated for histopathology. We identified statistically significant differences between aggressive and nonaggressive lesions with respect to certain histological characteristics such as shape of mononuclear cells, shape of giant cells, and number of nuclei per giant cell. It was also found that there was a definite and statistically significant correlation between the aggressiveness of the lesion and the AgNOR count.

Aim: To ascertain the oral health status and dental health status of drug abusers (DA) and compare them with those of non-drug-abusing dental patients. Design: Hospital-based cross-sectional study. Setting and Participants: Hundred consecutive male DA attending rehabilitation center for drug abuse and age-matched 100 non-drug abusers attending the outpatient department of a dental college hospital. Measurements: Detailed history and clinical findings were recorded in a predetermined format by trained physician and dental surgeons. Data entry and statistical analysis were done using SPSS 10.0.5^® Variables: Oral mucosal lesions (OML), dental lesions (DL), 'decay, missing, filling teeth' index (DMFT), brushing material (toothpaste/others), mode (toothbrush/others), and frequency per day (once/twice). Results: The occurrence of at least one oral mucosal lesion was 49% in drug abusers and 6% in controls, the difference being statistically significant ( P = 0.00). In brushing habits, DL were significantly associated with brushing material ( P = 0.005) and frequency ( P = 0.001) when a comparison was made between DA and controls. The difference of ≤7 in the DMFT score between DA and controls in relation to material used for brushing ( P = 0.04) and frequency of brushing ( P = 0.001) was statistically significant. For any oral mucosal lesion, odds ratio (OR) was 15.1 (95% CI, 6-37.5); for any potentially malignant states, OR was 54.4 (95% CI, 3.2-911.3); for dental caries, the OR was 3.3 (95% CI, 1.8-5.9); and the OR for extrinsic stains was 8 (95% CI, 2.7-24). Conclusion: A large gap exists with respect to dental and oral health status between DA and the general population. DA are at 54.4 times higher risk for having a potentially malignant state. These factors highlight the need for regular oral examination and dental treatment in DA.

Ectopic thyroid tissue not located anterolaterally to the second and fourth tracheal cartilage is rare. In majority of the cases, it is located in the midline between foramen cecum and the usual location of thyroid gland in the neck. Most often, it is found in the base of the tongue. We present a case of lingual thyroid with hemi-agenesis of right lobe and colloid nodule in left lobe presenting with difficulty in breathing and swallowing with choking episodes since the last 9 months. The patient was operated upon under general anesthesia, and the lingual mass was removed intraorally leaving a minimal part and sent for histopathological examination, which ultimately confirmed the diagnosis of lingual thyroid tissue. We are presenting this case for its rarity in general practice and because of its unusual presentation.

Hemangiopericytoma is a rare vascular neoplasm, which arises from specialized cells (pericytes) around the capillary walls. Only 5% of hemangiopericytomas in the series of Stout occurred in the oral cavity and pharynx. Several studies have revealed that due to chances of late recurrence or metastasis, long-term follow-up is necessary in patients with this tumor even after radical resection. We report a case of hemangiopericytoma of mandible in a 26-year-old woman, with 4 years' follow-up.

Mesenchymal chondrosarcomas (MCs) are rare malignant neoplasms that can arise from both soft and hard tissues. They are distinct tumors arising in unicentric or multicentric locations. They reveal unusual clinical behavior, characteristic histopathological features, and poor prognosis with late recurrences. Here is a report of a rare case of MC that was arising in a 23-year-old female patient who was previously diagnosed for odontogenic myxoma. The importance of thorough evaluation and follow-up of the patient is emphasized.

The granuloma Riga-Fede (GRF) belongs to benign self-healing ulcerative lesions, usually located in the oral mucosa. Histological characteristics are eosinophilia accompanied by a population of large mononuclear cells, leading to synonyms as eosinophilic ulcer of the oral mucosa, traumatic eosinophilic granuloma, or traumatic ulcerative granuloma with stromal eosinophilia. Its rare appearance and clinical similarity to squamous cell carcinoma cause difficulties in diagnosis and can lead to severe overtreatment. Recent publications have revealed that GRF could be included within the spectrum of CD30+ lymphoproliferative disorders due to the positivity of CD30 antigen in some reported cases. We present a case of a 19-year-old patient with GRF localized in the attached gingiva of the upper left first molar with CD30 antigen positivity and monoclonal T cell receptor-gamma (TCR-g) gene rearrangement. It is suggested that GRF can represent a subset of CD30+ lymphoproliferative disorders.

Calcifying odontogenic cyst (COC) was described as a distinct entity for the first time by Gorlin and his associates in 1962. Dentinogenic ghost cell tumor (DGCT) was described by Praetorius et al. in 1981 as a neoplastic variety of COC. DGCT is an extremely rare odontogenic tumor and accounts for only 2% to 14% of all COCs. A case of DGCT in a 40-year-old male patient is being reported.

Verruciform xanthoma [VX] is an uncommon benign mucocutaneous lesion of unknown etiology. This rare, harmless lesion usually presents as sessile or pedunculated, pale yellowish-to-red, papillary, granular or verrucous mucosal growth. Histologically VX is characterized by the presence of parakeratinzed epithelium showing papillary or verrucous growth with thin rete ridges and connective tissue papillae extending up to the surface. The papillae characteristically consist of foam cells, also called xanthoma cells. We report two cases of verruciform xanthoma and discuss their clinical and histopathological findings.

We describe the first recorded case of invasive rhino-orbital infection with the zygomycete Syncephalastrum racemosum in a 45-year-old male patient with chronic hepatitis B infection, along with cirrhosis of liver. The patient was successfully treated with partial surgical debridement and liposomal amphotericin B.