Clinicopathological and immunohistochemical analysis of 19 cases of oral eosinophilic ulcers.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to describe the clinicopathological and immunohistochemical features of 19 cases of oral eosinophilic ulcers and discuss the hypothesis that this entity could represent a spectrum of the CD30(+) lymphoproliferative disorder.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Clinical data concerning gender, age, affected site, and clinical presentation of 19 patients were collected and a broad immunohistochemical panel was carried out. Eosinophil distribution in relation to muscular tissue was evaluated using an Aperio ScanScope CS scanner.

RESULTS

The mean age of the patients was 58.6 years, with a male preponderance. A single painful ulcer in the tongue was the most common clinical presentation. There was no predilection of eosinophils for surrounding muscular fibers because this population was equally distributed in areas adjacent to and distant from these structures. The inflammatory infiltrate was mainly formed by cytotoxic T lymphocytes and CD30 expression was not limited to large atypical cells; it also stained small reactive lymphocytes.

CONCLUSIONS

Considering the clinical, histopathological, and immunohistochemical characteristics, oral eosinophilic ulcers must be considered a self-limiting reactive condition.