A semi-quantitative assessment of the histopathology of oral lichen planus

In a retrospective study of 112 cases, an attempt has been made to further delineate the histopathological parameters which are useful in making a diagnosis of oral lichen planus. The results of this study show that mononuclear infiltration beneath and adjacent to the epithelium, parakeratosis and degeneration of the basal layer of the epithelium were consistent features. Linear regression analyses of the parameters studied provided partial support for a cell-mediated immune mechanism.