Background The aetiology of oral cancer is multifactorial, as various risk factors (genetics, socioeconomic and lifestyle factors) contribute to its development. Data in the literature suggest that people with periodontal disease have an increased risk of developing oral cancer, and the severity of periodontitis correlates with the appearance of oral squamous cell carcinoma. The aim of this study was to revise the non-genetic risk factors that may influence the development of OC, while focusing on the dental and periodontal status and OH. Methods Two hundred patients (hundred diagnosed with oral cancer and hundred without oral cancer) were enrolled in our case–control study, to evaluate the association between oral cancer and the presence and severity of periodontitis, while examining several risk factors that might be responsible for oral cancer formation. A questionnaire customised for oral cancer patients was used to obtain the socioeconomic and lifestyle risk factors that may influence the development of oral squamous cell carcinoma. The dental and periodontal status along with the level of oral hygiene was recorded quantitatively. The chi-square and Mann–Whitney tests and logistic regression were used for the statistical analysis. Results By considering both the case and the control groups, a significant correlation was found between the incidence of oral cancer and some socioeconomic factors and lifestyle habits, such as the sex, age, education and alcohol consumption of an individual. The mean value of the Silness-Löe plaque index was significantly higher in the case population. The number of completely edentulous patients was higher among the oral cancer population. The incidence of oral cancer was 57.1% in patients with periodontal disease. In comparison, the incidence of oral squamous cell carcinoma was only 28.6% among the patients without periodontitis. Most of the oral cancer patients (72.1%) had stage 4 periodontitis. On the other hand, the vast majority of the control group (51.6%) had stage 2 periodontitis. Conclusion Periodontitis can be an individual risk factor for oral cancer development. Periodontally compromised individuals should be strictly monitored, especially those with severe periodontitis and coexisting lifestyle risk factors. Maintaining their periodontal health in at-risk patients can minimize cancer risks.

Malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) also known as undifferentiated high-grade pleomorphic sarcoma (UHPS) is a soft tissue sarcoma, composed of undifferentiated mesenchymal tumors possessed fibrohistiocytic morphology without definite true histiocytic differentiation. Head and neck localization is very rare, showing an incidence ranging from 4 % to 10 % in different series of investigations. The most frequent involved sites in UHPS are the neck and parotid, followed by the scalp, face, anterior skull base and orbit. Upper aerodigestive tract, lateral skull base and ear are rare locations. The incidence of the lymphatic metastases is also rare. The aim of this article is to report a case of UHPS in the maxillary sinus with palatal, orbital and ethmoidal involvement, with lymphatic metastasis and its surgical treatment. In addition, we review the literature of similar cases of the past 12 years.

The etiology of tumors in young age is not precisely known yet, but studies on the topic generally agree that in this group of patients the traditionally known behavioural risk factors (tobacco and alcohol abuse) play no or a significantly less important role. Oral squamous cell carcinoma occurring at a young age is a topic of utmost importance that is extensively and intensively researched as, while the overall incidence of oral cancer is decreasing worldwide, that of squamous cell carcinoma diagnosed in young adults is steadily increasing. The present article aims at presenting the main questions and characteristics of tumors in young adults in Central-Eastern Europe and in developed West European countries as contrasted to tumors found in middle aged and elderly patients. Factors influencing the development of oral cancer include regulatory factors of the cell cycle, the inherited vulnerability of the genetic code of certain proteins and the presence of HPV infection with an oncogenic genotype. The connections of HPV infection and genetic damages are studied intensively. It is known that the prevalence of oral HPV infections is growing with a background of potentially changing sexual habits. It is debated, however, whether smoking and alcohol consumption could have a connection to HPV associated oral cancer and whether the spread of HPV in itself could be an explanation for the growing occurrence of young-age tumors. There is no consensus in the literature as to the prognostic significance of age. Some research groups have found a better life expectancy for young patients, while other authors found a worse prognosis for these patients. It is known that the prognosis of head and neck tumors, the prevalence of HPV infections as well as genetic mutations show regional and ethnic variations. This might be explained by differences in the degree of development of a preventive system, in the quality of care and in the attitudes of young patients towards visiting a doctor. The study is made difficult by incomparable patient selection criteria as well as by the question of the intraoral localisation of tumors as an independent risk factor.

The etiological factors of squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck have been well known for a long time. It is also well known that the incidence of oral cancer diagnosed in younger patients is on the rise. Due to the young age of these patients, the increase in the number of these cases and the fact that many of them neither smoke nor drink alcohol it has been suggested that other factors might be at play in the carcinogenesis of oral cancer. Thus, along the classic etiological factors of smoking and alcohol abuse certain molecular marker anomalies and the human papilloma virus (HPV) have emerged as potential factors. The aim of the present study is to verify the potential prognostic factors and to map the differences in biomarker expression between the young and the old patient groups. In the present study the immunohistochemical profile of samples obtained from oral squamous cell carcinomas was studied and compared with various clinico-pathological parameters. In 88 samples the expressions of p16, p53, Ki67, EGFR were studied with a tissue microarray technique under standard reaction conditions as well as the detection and typing of HPV infection with the Full Spectrum HPV DNA method. The biomarker expression profile of young patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma was compared to that of older patients (above 50). A significant difference was found between the immunohistochemical profile of the young and old patient groups in p16, Ki67 expression. The overall survival and progression free survival were influenced by p16 expression in young age.