title: Clinical manifestations of oral precancer and cancer.
abstract: Oral squamous cell carcinomas generally metastasise early and are associated with a poor survival rate. Their prevention depends largely on timeous identification of precancerous oral mucosal lesions, which may present clinically as a homogeneous or nodular white plaque (leucoplakia), a mixed white and red lesion (erythroleucoplakia) or a homogeneous or nodular red lesion (erythroplakia). Red premalignant lesions generally have a higher malignant potential than white lesions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology, Medical University of Southern Africa, Pretoria.
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Raubenheimer
authors.forename: P I
authors.initials: PI
authors.lastname: de Villiers
mesh_terms: D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004919:Erythroplasia / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007972:Leukoplakia, Oral / Q000473:pathology; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000473:pathology*