title: Potentially malignant oral lesions: clinicopathological correlations.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the incidence of potentially malignant oral lesions, and evaluate and correlate their clinical and pathological aspects.
  
  
  METHODS
  The sample consisted of cases clinically diagnosed as oral leukoplakia, oral erythroplakia, erythroleukoplakia, actinic cheilitis, and oral lichen planus treated at a diagnostic center, between May 2012 and July 2013. Statistical tests were conducted adopting a significance level of 5% (p≤0.05).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 340 patients, 106 (31.2%) had potentially malignant oral lesions; and 61 of these (17.9%) were submitted to biopsy. Actinic cheilitis was the most frequent lesion (37.5%) and the lower lip was the most affected site (49.6%). Among 106 patients in the sample, 48 (45.3%) reported nicotine consumption, 35 (33%) reported alcohol intake and 34 (32.1%) sun exposure while working. When clinical and histopathological diagnoses were compared, oral erythroplakia and atypical ulcer were the lesions that exhibited greater compatibility (100% each).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In most cases, clinical and histopathological diagnoses were compatible. An association between the occurrence of erythroplakia, leukoplakia and erythroleukoplakia with smoking was observed. Similarly, an association between actinic cheilitis and sun exposure was noted. Erythroleukoplakia presented the highest malignancy grade in this study. Finally, dental surgeons should draw special attention to diagnosis of potentially malignant oral lesions, choose the best management, and control the lesions to avoid their malignant transformation.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil.
authors.forename: Haline Cunha de Medeiros
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Maia
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil.
authors.forename: Najara Alcântara Sampaio
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Pinto
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil.
authors.forename: Joabe Dos Santos
authors.initials: Jdos S
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana Miryam Costa
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: de Medeiros
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil.
authors.forename: Éricka Janine Dantas
authors.initials: ÉJ
authors.lastname: da Silveira
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil.
authors.forename: Márcia Cristina da Costa
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Miguel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002613:Cheilitis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004919:Erythroplasia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007972:Leukoplakia, Oral / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D017676:Lichen Planus, Oral / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking; D055815:Young Adult