Oral lichen planus as a preneoplastic inflammatory model.
Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic oral inflammatory disease of unknown etiology. According to reports, 1-2% of OLP patients develop oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) in the long run. While World Health Organization (WHO) classifies OLP as "a potentially malignant disorder," it is still a matter of debate which mechanisms drive OLP to such a condition. The current hypothesis connecting OLP and OSCC is that chronic inflammation results in crucial DNA damage which over time results in cancer development. Initial studies investigating the OLP and OSCC link were mainly retrospective clinical studies. Over the past years, several amount of information has accumulated, mainly from molecular studies on the OLP malignant potential. This article is a critical review of whether OLP has a malignant potential and, therefore, represents a model of preneoplastic inflammation.
Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 75 Mikras Asias Street, Goudi, 11527 Athens, Greece.
Eleni A
EA
Georgakopoulou
Marina D
MD
Achtari
Michael
M
Achtaris
Periklis G
PG
Foukas
Athanassios
A
Kotsinas
D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000473:pathology*; D017676:Lichen Planus, Oral / Q000473:pathology*; D008954:Models, Biological; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000473:pathology*