Cheilitis Glandularis: A clinicopathologic study with emphasis on etiopathogenesis

Abstract

Objectives Cheilitis Glandularis (CG) is an uncommon entity of obscure etiology. A cases series is presented with emphasis on etiopathogenesis. Materials and Methods Fourteen CG cases were analyzed according to their demographic and clinicopathologic characteristics. Results The mean age of the patients with CG was 68.1 years, while a male‐to‐female ratio of 1.8:1 was observed. One or more potential causative factors were identified for each patient, including long‐term smoking (9 cases), xerostomia (4 cases), cosmetic filler injections (2 cases), and actinic cheilitis (1 case). The lesions were located on the lips, buccal mucosa, or both in 7, 2, and 5 cases, respectively. Multiple submucosal nodules with dilated ductal orifices and mucous or purulent discharge were observed in all cases. Histopathologically, ductal ectasia with metaplasia, intraductal mucin, and chronic or mixed inflammation were noted, as well as pools of hyaluronic acid in 2 cases with a history of cosmetic filler injections. Conclusions CG etiopathogenesis is probably multifactorial. Reduced salivary flow rate and increased viscosity of saliva, potentially caused by long‐term smoking, diabetes mellitus, and drug‐induced xerostomia, may participate in the initial pathogenesis, while local irritants, for example, poor oral hygiene and local trauma, may further contribute to the development and aggravation of the condition.

Deep suppurative glandular cheilitis: A pediatric case report

“… 4 Three subtypes of GC are recognized in literature: simplex, superficial suppurative, and deep suppurative. 1 , 2 The most frequent form is the superficial one, whereas the profound or deep form, recognized in our patient, seems to be the rarest.…”

“…Pediatric reports in female patients, such as the one presented, are extremely uncommon. 1 , 2 This condition is observed more often in white-skinned individuals and it usually involves the lower lip. 1 , 5 …”

“…The exact pathogenesis is still unclear and multiple risk factors have been proposed, such as emotional disturbance, chemical exposure, immune dysfunction, traumatism, viscous salivation, xerostomia, cosmetic filler injections, poor oral hygiene, immunosuppression, bacterial infections, actinic damage, and smoking, with the latter 2 being the most reported in literature as possible causative factors. 1 , 2 , 5 However, the rare pediatric cases tend to highlight the role of genetic predisposition, which determines saliva quality and aquaporin expression in affected salivary glands. 6 …”

“…Histologically, GC shows ductal mucin deposition and ectasia, mucous ⁄oncocytic metaplasia, sialectasia, and chronic inflammation. 2 , 4 , 6 …”

“…Three types of GC are recognized as GC simplex, superficial suppurative, and deep suppurative, with only few case reports in literature of the latter form. 1 , 2 …”