title: Treatment results of CO2 laser vaporisation in a cohort of 35 patients with oral leukoplakia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to evaluate the treatment results of CO2 laser vaporisation in a well-defined cohort of patients with oral leukoplakia (OL).
  
  
  METHODS
  The group consisted of 35 patients. Before treatment, a clinical photograph and an incisional biopsy were performed in all cases. Also posttreatment results were documented with clinical photographs. The assessment of the treatment results was performed by an independent clinician who had not performed the treatment. The mean follow-up period was 61.9 months (range 12-179 months).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 14/35 patients, there was a recurrence between 1 and 43 months (mean 18.7 months), the annual recurrence rate being approximately 8%. In three of these patients, malignant transformation occurred at a later stage. In two other patients, a malignancy occurred without a prior recurrence. In altogether 5 of 35 patients, malignant transformation occurred in a mean period of 54 months, the annual malignant transformation rate being approximately 3%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results in the present study are worse than those reported in the literature, perhaps owing to the use of different diagnostic criteria for OL, differences in the employed laser technique and assessment of possible recurrences by an independent clinician.
authors: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Oral Pathology, VU University Medical Center (VUmc)/Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA), Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors: E R E A
authors: ER
authors: Brouns
authors: J A
authors: JA
authors: Baart
authors: K H
authors: KH
authors: Karagozoglu
authors: I H  A
authors: IH
authors: Aartman
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Bloemena
authors: I
authors: I
authors: van der Waal
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy; D007972:Leukoplakia, Oral / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D002245:Carbon Dioxide
keywords: carbon dioxide laser; malignant transformation; oral leukoplakia; potentially malignant oral disorders; recurrence