Malignant transformation rate based stratification model for oral potentially malignant disorders: A potential idea

Area of Science:

• Oral pathology
• Oncology
• Dental medicine

Background:

• Oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs) exhibit heterogeneous biological aggressiveness.
• Increasing incidence and mortality of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) necessitate a practical classification system for OPMDs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To stratify OPMDs into risk groups based on their malignant transformation rate (MTR).
• To develop a classification system applicable in everyday clinical practice for general dental surgeons.

Main Methods:

• Literature search of PubMed, SCOPUS, Web of Science, and CINHAL for OPMD malignant transformation rates.
• Prioritization of meta-analyses and cohort studies, supplemented by cross-sectional studies, case series, and case reports.
• Stratification of OPMDs into Low (0-3% MTR), Moderate (4-15% MTR), and High (>15% MTR) risk groups.

Main Results:

• OPMDs were categorized into three risk groups based on published MTRs.
• Low risk: 0-3% MTR; Moderate risk: 4-15% MTR; High risk: >15% MTR.
• This stratification aids in identifying and planning generalized treatment strategies for similar risk OPMDs.

Conclusions:

• The proposed MTR-based stratification offers a framework for classifying OPMDs.
• Further systematic reviews and meta-analyses are recommended to validate and refine this clinically applicable classification system.