Epithelioid Haemangioendothelioma of the jaws: study at Confocal Laser Scanning Microscope of 5 cases

Hepithelioid Haemangioendothelioma (HHE) is an angio-centric vascular tumour with metastatic potential, usuallyaffecting superficial or deep soft tissues, and rarely bone. Wereport 5 cases, 4 female and 1 male, average 54 years, with jawsinvolvement. Roentgenographically, the asymptomatic lesions (3lower jaw and 2 upper jaw) appeared as multilocular osteolyticareas with irregular borders. After marginal resection, histologicalexamination was carried out at Confocal Laser Scanning Micro-scope (CLSM). Standard examination showed strands, cords orsolid nests composed by CD34-positive endothelial cells withepithelioid or histiocytoid aspects. CLSM analysis showed highfluorescence of endothelial cells with little or no mitotic activity,and lack offluorescence in infiltration area, due to the resorptionof bone collagenfibres. Thus, bone HHE was diagnosed.Although HHE has an high rate of recurrence, this one never hadbeen noticed.