Oral manifestations of acute promyelocytic leukemia

A study was conducted of 16 patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia. The most common oral manifestations were hemorrhagic diathesis and leukemic involvement. There was gingival bleeding, petechiae, and ecchymosis of the oral mucosa, massive infiltration-induced gingival swelling, ulcerative glossitis, swelling of the tonsils, and facial palsy. Inflammatory stomatitis also occurred. Patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia had a higher incidence and severity of oral bleeding than those with other types of acute leukemia. However, the oral findings in our series were not necessarily specific for acute promyelocytic leukemia because the same oral symptoms occur in other forms of acute leukemia.