title: [Premalignant lesions of the oral mucosa. Prognosis, treatment and follow-up].
abstract: To consider the value of prognostic factors in the development of a squamous cell carcinoma from a leukoplakia of the oral mucosa, a retrospective study was performed. Clinical and histological data of 104 patients with oral leukoplakia were analyzed. Leukoplastic lesions with dysplasia in the initial biopsy (n = 38) had been treated by excision (n = 28), by laser evaporation (n = 6) or a combination of these treatments (n = 4). Non-dysplastic lesions (n = 66) had been excised (n = 48), evaporised (n = 17) or treated by excision as well as laser evaporation (n = 1). During follow-up of maximal 6 years (mean 3.6 years), 12 patients had developed an infiltrative squamous cell carcinoma at the site of the primary lesion, 2 within a period of 24 months. No relation could be found between on the one hand size (p > 0.2), clinical aspect (p > 0.2), location (p > 0.45), and primary treatment (p > 0.15) of the lesion, and on the other hand the risk of developing a squamous cell carcinoma. Only a relation could be found between (the intensity of) dysplasia and the development of a squamous cell carcinoma (p < 0.001). It was concluded that because of the high risk of developing a squamous cell carcinoma, patients with a dysplastic mucosal oral lesion should be followed during a prolonged time.
authors.affiliation: Uit de afdeling Mond- en kaakchirurgie, Universitair Medisch Centrum Sint Radboud, Nijmegen. m.merkx@mkc.umcn.nl
authors.forename: M A W
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Merkx
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: ter Hoeven
authors.forename: P C M
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: de Wilde
mesh_terms: D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007972:Leukoplakia, Oral / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000473:pathology*; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies