title: Erythroplakia: the dangerous red mucosa.
abstract: Erythroplakia is an uncommon and subtly innocuous change of the oral mucosa, but it has very specific and identifiable clinical characteristics, therapies, and prognostic features. It is the most dangerous of all the oral cancer precursor lesions, and a search for erythroplakia should be a part of every oral soft tissue examination in persons aged 35 years and older. No erythroplakia lesions should ever be left untreated. Much has been written about the malignant potential of oral leukoplakia, but too often the dental profession has ignored the more dangerous discoloration, erythroplakia, which carries a much greater cancer risk than the white lesions. A clear understanding of this lesion may save lives by identifying oral cancers prior to invasion or at an early stage, thereby avoiding extensive surgery and spread of the disease to other parts of the body. The learning objective of this article is to review and familiarize the reader with the terminology, diagnosis, etiology, treatment, and the prognosis of this disease.
authors.affiliation: Maxillofacial Center for Diagnostics and Research, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA.
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Bouquot
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ephros
mesh_terms: D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004919:Erythroplasia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000473:pathology*; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D011379:Prognosis