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Updated: Jun 9, 2026

Isolation of Cells with Morphological and Spatial Information from Oral Submucous Fibrosis Samples by Laser Capture Microdissection
Published on: August 11, 2023
[Potentially malignant disorders of the oral mucosa: terminology and classification]
1Service de stomatologie et chirurgie maxillofaciale, hôpital de la Salpêtrière, 47-83 boulevard de l'Hôpital, 75013 Paris, France. lbenslama@noos.fr
Abstract:
The last WHO expert workgroup recommended abandoning the distinction between potentially malignant lesions and conditions. The term to use is "potentially malignant disorders". Leukoplakia is the most common of these disorders, while erythroplakia is rather rare. The diagnosis is still made by excluding other documented white or red lesions. Despite progress in molecular biology, no marker allows predicting malignant transformation. These lesions are treated surgically with or without dysplasia. It is unknown if this surgery can really prevent transformation into squamous cell carcinoma. The potential malignancy of oral lichen planus is still debated. The risk of malignant transformation is lower than that of leukoplakia. No treatment may prevent this. Other potentially malignant conditions such as oral submucous fibrosis, actinic cheilitis, lupus, and immunodeficiency are rare.
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