Oral premalignant lesions: from a clinical perspective

Area of Science:

• Oral Pathology
• Oncology
• Dermatology

Background:

• Oral leukoplakia is a common oral premalignant lesion.
• Understanding risk factors for malignant transformation is crucial for early intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the clinical and histopathological characteristics of oral premalignant lesions, focusing on oral leukoplakia.
• To discuss the risk factors associated with the malignant transformation of oral leukoplakia.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of clinical and histopathological studies on oral leukoplakia.
• Analysis of reported risk factors for malignant transformation, including demographic, lifestyle, and lesion-specific factors.

Main Results:

• Malignant transformation rates vary widely (0.13% to 17.5%).
• Risk factors include male gender, tobacco use (chewing/smoking), older age, non-smoking females, lesion location (tongue, floor of mouth), epithelial dysplasia, nonhomogeneous leukoplakia, large lesion size, and widespread disease.
• The efficacy of surgical treatment and the role of human papilloma virus remain debated due to conflicting evidence and lack of randomized controlled trials.

Conclusions:

• Oral leukoplakia presents diverse risk factors for malignant transformation.
• Epithelial dysplasia and nonhomogeneous leukoplakia are considered significant risk factors.
• Further research is needed to establish definitive treatments and clarify the role of factors like human papilloma virus.