Commentary: IARC Monographs Program and public health under siege by corporate interests

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) evaluates causes of cancer with help from independent international experts in an open and transparent manner. Countries, research and regulatory agencies, and other organizations adopt IARC evaluations for communication of human cancer hazards, and for strategies to prevent cancer. Scientists worldwide endorse IARC cancer evaluations and process. Those with economic interests, however, challenge IARC's cancer evaluations, most recently for glyphosate and red and processed meats, and are conducting a campaign including intervention from US Congressional Representatives to discredit IARC's review process and to undermine financial support—a campaign intimidating to IARC and Working Group members. Challenges to scientific interpretations serve to advance science and should be resolved by scientific experts who do not have conflicts of interest. Such interference does not bode well for the free flow of scientific information that informs and protects the public from risks of cancer.     

Osteochondroma of the coronoid process of the mandible. Report of a case showing histological evidence of neoplasia

A case of unilateral enlargement of the coronoid process of the mandible is presented. The patient, a 37-year-old woman complained of restricted mandibular movement and swelling in the left zygomatic region. Coronoidectomy was performed intraorally, producing improved mandibular movement. The specimen consisted of a large amount of cartilage and mature bone. Most of the cartilage showed a marked disturbance in endochondral ossification. The histopathological diagnosis was osteochondroma. A review of the basic nature of the disease in the reported cases is presented. The value of computed tomography in deciding on a surgical procedure is briefly mentioned.     

Induction of cellular hypersensitivity to oral microorganisms in guinea-pigs

The ability of oral microorganisms (Actinomyces viscosus, Bacteroides melaninogenicus, Veillonella alcalescens and Streptococcus mutans) to elicit cellular hypersensitivity in guinea-pigs was investigated by the macrophage migration inhibition test. All animals sensitized with these microorganisms, emulsified in oil adjuvant, yielded peritoneal cells which were significantly inhibited in migration by the homologous bacterial antigen. These microorganisms showed no cross-reactions and there was little quantitative difference in their ability to elicit cellular hypersensitivity.     

Clinical evaluation of patients with temporomandibular joint implants

PURPOSE: An undetermined number of patients with temporomandibular joint (TMJ) symptoms have been treated with intra-articular disc implants composed of Teflon ethylene/propylene or Teflon polytetrafluoroethylene and aluminum oxide (Proplast-Teflon; Vitek, Houston, TX). These implants have shown the potential to fragment in situ resulting in nonbiodegradable particles that stimulate a giant cell reaction and lead to degeneration of local structures, pain, and limitation of mandibular opening. We examined the possible relationship between TMJ implants and persistent pain, responses to sensory stimuli, quality of life, and systemic immune dysfunction. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This case series (32 patients) were referred from university-based orofacial pain centers and private practices from across the United States. Laboratory and clinical assessments evaluated orofacial pain symptoms, neurologic function, clinical signs and symptoms of rheumatologic disease, physical function, systemic measures of immune function, and behavioral measures. RESULTS: We found that TMJ implant patients appeared to have altered sensitivity to sensory stimuli, a higher number of tender points with a diagnosis of fibromyalgia, increased self-report of chemical sensitivity, higher psychologic distress and significantly lower functional ability. Systemic illness or autoimmune disease was not evident in this series of TMJ implant patients. CONCLUSIONS: Significant problems were noted on clinical assessment of TMJ implant patients. This is a US government work. There are no restrictions on its use.     

Neural hyperplasia in maxillary bone of multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2B patient

Multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) type 2B is the rarest and most aggressive form of MEN syndrome. MEN 2B patients manifest characteristic oral and facial features besides the neural crest cell-derived tumors, including medullary carcinoma, pheochromocytoma, mucosal neuroma, and ganglioneuromatosis of the gut. We report a case of MEN 2B diagnosed on the basis of the warning signs of mucosal neuroma and multiple neural hyperplasias in the maxillary bone resected during orthognathic surgery. A subsequent systemic examination under the pathologic diagnosis of neural lesions revealed medullary thyroid carcinoma, megacolon, thickened corneal nerves, and RET gene mutation, thus verifying the diagnosis of MEN 2B. An immunohistochemical study revealed an increased number of unmyelinated Schwann cells in the hyperplastic nerves. We suggest that intraosseous neural hyperplasia is a specific finding of the MEN 2B syndrome in addition to the known oral and facial manifestations.