Simulated cancer of the lower lip attributed to a "caliber persistent" artery

Observations are reported on three lesions of the lower lip simulating cancer in elderly men and attributed to caliber persistent arteries. Persistent caliber arteries are those with a diameter larger than normal near a mucosal or external surface. Caliber persistency of the lip artery is best characterized by a quotient, using the distance from the border between epithelium and connective tissue as numerator, and its diameter as denominator. A quotient lower than 1.6 to 1.7 may be regarded as indicative of this vascular anomaly.