Proliferation and apoptosis within the oral mucosa "hemangiomas".

In the study the expression of Ki-67, p53, bcl-2 and apoptotic index in ten cases of lobular capillary hemangioma (LCH), ten of capillary hemangioma (CH), and five of epithelioid hemangioma (EH) was examined. The expression of Ki-67, p53 and bcl-2 did not differ significantly between each group of lesions. Instead, significant differences in apoptotic index between LCH and CH were found. The expression of bcl-2 was positively correlated with that of Ki-67 in LCH and CH group, but negatively correlated in the EH group. Our results confirm that LCH, EH and CH, which are histologically similar, are different in terms of proliferation/apoptosis balance. This reflects their different biology, and presumably pathogenesis.