Premalignant conditions Flashcards
What is a pre-malignant lesion?
Morphologically altered tissue in which cancer is more likely to occur than in its apparently normal counterpart
What is leukoplakia?
Predominantly white lesion of the oral mucosa that cannot be characterised as any other definable lesion (disease) & which is not associated with any physical or chemical causative agent except tobacco
What is erythroplakia?
Bright red velvety plaque which cannot be characterised as any other definable lesion (disease)
Normal anatomy causes of white patches?
o Fordyce spots
o Leucoedema
Developmental causes of white patches
o White sponge naevus
Traumatic causes of white patches?
o Frictional keratosis
o Cheek biting, trauma from dentures, cusps, fillings, orthodontic appliances
Chemical causes of white patches?
o Aspirin burns
o Smoker’s keratosis (on palate)
Autoimmune causes of white patches?
o Lichen planus
o Lupus erythematosus
Infective causes of white patches?
o Chronic hyperplastic candidosis
o Oral hairy leukoplakia
What is oral hairy leukoplakia associated with?
- Associated with EBV
- If associated with AIDS, resolves with HAART
Clinical features of OHL?
- Painless
- May mimic other oral mucosal diseases
- Not premalignant
Clinical features & prevalence of Fordyce spots?
- Common, benign
- AKA Fordyce granules
- Sebaceous glands
- Creamy-yellow papules may coalesce
- Buccal/labial mucosa
- Appear in childhood
- Increase at late puberty & adult life
Management of Fordyce spots?
- Reassurance
What is leucoedema?
- Variation of normal
- Bilateral, diffuse, translucent, greyish appearance to oral mucosa
- Typically present in black people may also occur in white
- Disappears on spreading affected mucosa
What are the 2 types of appearance of leukoplakia?
Homogenous
Non-homogenous
What is the appearance of homogenous leukoplakia?
Uniform, flat appearance that may exhibit shallow cracks & has a smooth, wrinkled or corrugated surface with a consistent texture throughout
What is the appearance of non-homogenous leukoplakia?
o Predominantly white or white & red lesion (erythroleukoplakia)
o Irregularly flat, nodular & exophytic:
- Nodular lesions have raised, rounded, red and/or white excrescences (protrusion)
- Exophytic (outward growth) lesions have irregular blunt or sharp projections
Epidemiology of leukoplakia?
- Most diagnosed in middle age, increase with age
- 10% of oral leukoplakias idiopathic
- 90% associated with use of tobacco/areca nut
- M>F (maybe due to greater prevalence of tobacco use by males)
- Buccal mucosa affected in 25% cases, mandibular gingiva in 20%, tongue in 10% & floor of mouth in 10%
What surface features of leukoplakia is suggestive of an increased risk of malignant transformation?
Raised/nodular
Gender & age with increased risk of malignant transformation?
Advanced age
Females
What features of the colour of leukoplakia is suggestive of an increased risk of malignant transformation?
Red/white (speckled)
Which sites of leukoplakia are suggestive of malignant transformation?
o Floor of mouth
o Lateral border of tongue
o Retromolar region
o Buccal sulcus (paan chewers)
o Labial commissure