title: The results of CO2 laser surgery in patients with oral leukoplakia: a 25 year follow up.
abstract: Oral leukoplakia is an important premalignant lesion of the oral mucosa. We treat this lesion prophylactically with CO2 laser evaporation. In the period from 1976 to 2001, a group of 200 patients with 282 oral leukoplakias were treated by CO2 laser evaporation. In a follow up period of 1-219 months (mean 52), 251 treated leukoplakias (89.0%) did not show a recurrence. Twenty eight (9.9%) local recurrences were observed in 5 to 168 months after treatment. Three (1.1%) squamous cell carcinoma, occurred in the treated area respectively 7, 17 and 19 month after CO2 laser evaporation. This large study with a long follow up shows that laser treatment is a good prophylactic treatment for oral leukoplakia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Groningen University Hospital, P.O. Box 30001, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands. p.s.van.der.hem@kchir.azg.nl
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: van der Hem
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Nauta
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: van der Wal
authors.forename: J L N
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Roodenburg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000517:prevention & control; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D007972:Leukoplakia, Oral / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control; D012008:Recurrence; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014945:Wound Healing