Related Experiment Video For OSSN, ocular surface squamous neoplasia
Updated: Mar 19, 2026
Author Spotlight: Anterior HR-OCT as a Non-Invasive Tool for Characterizing Ocular Surface Squamous Neoplasia
Published on: August 9, 2024
High frequency of squamous intraepithelial neoplasia in pterygium related to low ultraviolet light exposure
Pablo Zoroquiain1, Samir Jabbour2, Sultan Aldrees3
1The Henry C. Witelson Ocular Pathology Laboratory, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Pathology Department, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Chile.
Purpose:
The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of clinically unsuspected ocular surface squamous neoplasia (OSSN) in cases of biopsied pterygium (PT).
Methods:
We reviewed 15,016 cases presented at the Henry C. Witelson Ocular Pathology Laboratory during the period 1993-2013. All cases with a clinical diagnosis of PT were included. Histopathological diagnoses were reviewed and demographic data were retrieved from histopathological request forms. All cases associated with OSSN were re-evaluated independently by two ocular pathologists. The classification of OSSN in PT cases was made based on the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP) recommendations.
Results:
Two hundred and fifteen cases were diagnosed clinically as PT (1.43%) and 54% were from male patients. The average age at diagnosis was 53.4 ± 15.5 years. OSSN was identified in five cases (2.33%), and four of these cases were from female patients (80%). The average age of patients with PT and OSSN was similar to PT patients without OSSN (P > 0.05). Cases with OSSN were diagnosed as conjunctival intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) I (60%), CIN II (20%), and CIN III (20%). There was complete agreement between the two pathologists (100%).
Conclusions:
The relatively high rate of dysplasia in a low ultraviolet light index area challenges the main cause of this disease in our population, a hypothesis that should be evaluated in future studies. We suggest that all PT samples should be sent for histopathological evaluation even in areas with low ultraviolet light index.
More Related Videos
04:48Establishing a Severe Corneal Inflammation Model in Rats Based on Corneal Epithelium Curettage Combined with Corneal Sutures
Published on: November 22, 2024
09:31Determining the Toxicity of UV Radiation and Chemicals on Primary and Immortalized Human Corneal Epithelial Cells
Published on: July 22, 2021
Related Concept Videos
01:30Skin Cancer
Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC): BCC is the most common type of skin cancer, accounting for about 80% of cases. It typically develops in...
01:19Pigmentation
Melanin occurs in two primary forms: eumelanin that provides black and brown pigment and pheomelanin that provides red color. Dark-skinned individuals produce more melanin than those with pale...
01:35Mutations
Chromosomal Alterations Are Large-Scale Mutations
While point mutations are changes in a single nucleotide in...
01:38Nucleotide Excision Repair
Cells are regularly exposed to mutagens—factors in the environment that can damage DNA and generate mutations. UV radiation is one of the most common mutagens and is estimated to introduce a significant number of changes in DNA. These include bends or kinks in the structure, which can block DNA replication or transcription. If these errors are not fixed, the damage can cause mutations, which in turn can result in cancer or disease depending on which sequences are...
00:50Unrenewable Cells
Photoreceptors
The retina is composed of several layers and contains specialized cells called photoreceptors. The photoreceptors (rods and cones) change their membrane potential when stimulated by light energy. There are two types of photoreceptors—rods and cones—which differ in the shape of...