Oral amyloidosis: an update

Med Oral Patol Oral Cir Bucal. 2023 Jul 1;28(4):e341-e346. doi: 10.4317/medoral.25761.

Abstract

Background: Amyloidosis is a disease characterized by the progressive deposition of abnormal proteins that can occur in any organ. In the oral cavity, the tongue is the most common affected site, usually causing macroglossia. Biopsy is essential for the diagnosis and the occurrence of its systemic form is mandatory to be investigated. This systematic review evaluated the existing information in the literature on Amyloidosis in the oral cavity to allow a more comprehensive and updated analysis of its clinicopathological characteristics, as well as to explore the main forms of treatment and prognostic factors.

Material and methods: Electronic searches were undertaken in five databases supplemented by manual scrutiny.

Results: A total of 111 studies were included with 158 individuals.

Conclusions: The disease had a higher prevalence in women, the tongue was the most affected site, as well as the systemic form of the disease. The worst prognosis was for cases of systemic amyloidosis associated with multiple myeloma.

Publication types

  • Systematic Review

MeSH terms

  • Amyloidosis* / complications
  • Amyloidosis* / diagnosis
  • Amyloidosis* / pathology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Macroglossia* / complications
  • Macroglossia* / diagnosis
  • Multiple Myeloma*
  • Tongue / pathology
  • Tongue Diseases* / pathology