Transformation of proliferative verrucous leukoplakia to oral carcinoma: a ten years follow-up.
The authors present a case of proliferative verrucous leukoplakia (PVL) in a 78-year-old man. It was initially presented as leukoplakia on the tongue but a microscopic investigation in 1991 revealed it to be a mild epithelial dysplasia. After 5 years of follow-up, the lesion presented changes in size and location, and a recidivant behavior. In 1996, a red granular and indurated area that appeared on the tongue was found to be a microinvasive squamous cell carcinoma when microscopically investigated. After a review of the clinicopathologic behavior of this entity, the authors concluded that it was a typical PVL, whose diagnosis is difficult and retrospective, as indicated by others. The authors emphasize the importance of periodic detailed clinical and histological examination of this type of lesions in order to detect early signs of malignancy.
Navarro
Cláudia Maria
CM
Oral Medicine Service, Department of Diagnosis and Surgery, Dental School of Araraquara, UNESP, Araraquara, SP, Brazil. cmnavarro@uol.com.br
Sposto
Maria Regina
MR
Sgavioli-Massucato
Elaine Maria
EM
Onofre
Mirian Aparecida
MA
D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology*; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000473:pathology*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007972:Leukoplakia, Oral / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D013997:Time Factors