title: Oral erythroplakia and speckled leukoplakia: retrospective analysis of 13 cases.
abstract: Erythroplakia and speckled leukoplakia are oral precancerous lesions that have a high potential for malignant transformation.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  A retrospective analysis was conducted to investigate the clinicopathologic features of 13 cases of oral erythroplakia and speckled leukoplakia in patients who were seen at a center specialized in stomatology and Histopathological diagnosis of oral diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  All cases diagnosed with erythroplakia and speckled leukoplakia between 1978 and 2006 were retrieved from the service archives.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The lesions exhibited a predilection for males with a female-to-male ratio of 1:3.3. Mean age was 57 years old and soft palate was the site affected in 77% of the cases. Pain symptoms were reported by 61.5% of the patients and association with risk factors such as smoking and excessive alcohol intake was seen in 100% and in 46% of the cases, respectively. The lesions showed epithelial dysplasia, where more than 50% were diagnosed as in situ or invasive carcinoma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite low prevalence, oral homogeneous erythroplakia and speckled leukoplakia show Histopathological alterations vary from epithelial dysplasia to invasive carcinoma. These lesions must be included among those oral lesions with the highest potential for malignant tranformation.
authors: Buccomaxillofacial Surgery and Traumatology, UFPEL.
authors: Elaini Sickert
authors: ES
authors: Hosni
authors: Fernanda Gonçalves
authors: FG
authors: Salum
authors: Karen
authors: K
authors: Cherubini
authors: Liliane Soares
authors: LS
authors: Yurgel
authors: Maria Antonia Zancanaro
authors: MA
authors: Figueiredo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D002278:Carcinoma in Situ / Q000473:pathology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004848:Epithelium / Q000473:pathology; D004919:Erythroplasia / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007972:Leukoplakia, Oral / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000473:pathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors