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Leukoplakia

MedGen UID:
44133
•Concept ID:
C0023531
•
Neoplastic Process
Synonyms: Lesion, Leukoplakic; Lesions, Leukoplakic; Leukoplakias; Leukoplakic Lesion; Leukoplakic Lesions
SNOMED CT: Leukoplakia (274134003); Leukoplakia (50978000)
 
Monarch Initiative: MONDO:0043243

Definition

A white patch or plaque on a mucous membrane that cannot be characterized clinically or pathologically as any other disease. The diagnosis of leukoplakia is one of exclusion; other conditions such as candidiasis, lichen planus, leukoedema, etc., must be ruled out before a diagnosis of leukoplakia can be made. Leukoplakia may be a premalignant condition. [from NCI]

Professional guidelines

PubMed

Management of oral potentially malignant disorders.
Kerr AR, Lodi G
Oral Dis 2021 Nov;27(8):2008-2025. Epub 2021 Oct 9 doi: 10.1111/odi.13980. PMID: 34324758
Oral potentially malignant disorders: A comprehensive review on clinical aspects and management.
Warnakulasuriya S
Oral Oncol 2020 Mar;102:104550. Epub 2020 Jan 22 doi: 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2019.104550. PMID: 31981993
Proliferative verrucous leukoplakia: diagnosis, management and current advances.
Capella DL, Gonçalves JM, Abrantes AAA, Grando LJ, Daniel FI
Braz J Otorhinolaryngol 2017 Sep-Oct;83(5):585-593. Epub 2017 Jan 24 doi: 10.1016/j.bjorl.2016.12.005. PMID: 28209441Free PMC Article

Recent clinical studies

Etiology

Proliferative Verrucous Leukoplakia: An Expert Consensus Guideline for Standardized Assessment and Reporting.
Thompson LDR, Fitzpatrick SG, Müller S, Eisenberg E, Upadhyaya JD, Lingen MW, Vigneswaran N, Woo SB, Bhattacharyya I, Bilodeau EA, Carlos R, Islam MN, Leon ME, Lewis JS Jr, Magliocca KR, Mani H, Mehrad M, Purgina B, Richardson M, Wenig BM, Cohen DM
Head Neck Pathol 2021 Jun;15(2):572-587. Epub 2021 Jan 7 doi: 10.1007/s12105-020-01262-9. PMID: 33415517Free PMC Article
Leukoplakia and Immunology: New Chemoprevention Landscapes?
Grigolato R, Bizzoca ME, Calabrese L, Leuci S, Mignogna MD, Lo Muzio L
Int J Mol Sci 2020 Sep 19;21(18) doi: 10.3390/ijms21186874. PMID: 32961682Free PMC Article
Oral potentially malignant disorders: A comprehensive review on clinical aspects and management.
Warnakulasuriya S
Oral Oncol 2020 Mar;102:104550. Epub 2020 Jan 22 doi: 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2019.104550. PMID: 31981993
Oral Potentially Malignant Disorders.
Wetzel SL, Wollenberg J
Dent Clin North Am 2020 Jan;64(1):25-37. doi: 10.1016/j.cden.2019.08.004. PMID: 31735231
Oral leukoplakia-to treat or not to treat.
Holmstrup P, Dabelsteen E
Oral Dis 2016 Sep;22(6):494-7. Epub 2016 Feb 11 doi: 10.1111/odi.12443. PMID: 26785709

Diagnosis

Treatment of Oral Dysplasia.
Clarkson E, Hadioonzadeh R, Peters SM
Dent Clin North Am 2024 Jan;68(1):133-149. Epub 2023 Aug 23 doi: 10.1016/j.cden.2023.07.008. PMID: 37951630
Oral leukoplakia and oral cancer.
Onda T, Hayashi K, Katakura A, Takano M
Cleve Clin J Med 2023 Feb 1;90(2):79-80. doi: 10.3949/ccjm.90a.22044. PMID: 36724918
Oral Potentially Malignant Disorders.
Wetzel SL, Wollenberg J
Dent Clin North Am 2020 Jan;64(1):25-37. doi: 10.1016/j.cden.2019.08.004. PMID: 31735231
Oral leukoplakia remains a challenging condition.
Villa A, Sonis S
Oral Dis 2018 Mar;24(1-2):179-183. doi: 10.1111/odi.12781. PMID: 29480606
Proliferative verrucous leukoplakia: diagnosis, management and current advances.
Capella DL, Gonçalves JM, Abrantes AAA, Grando LJ, Daniel FI
Braz J Otorhinolaryngol 2017 Sep-Oct;83(5):585-593. Epub 2017 Jan 24 doi: 10.1016/j.bjorl.2016.12.005. PMID: 28209441Free PMC Article

Therapy

Malignant transformation of oral leukoplakia: Systematic review and meta-analysis of the last 5 years.
Aguirre-Urizar JM, Lafuente-Ibáñez de Mendoza I, Warnakulasuriya S
Oral Dis 2021 Nov;27(8):1881-1895. Epub 2021 Apr 1 doi: 10.1111/odi.13810. PMID: 33606345
Leukoplakia and Immunology: New Chemoprevention Landscapes?
Grigolato R, Bizzoca ME, Calabrese L, Leuci S, Mignogna MD, Lo Muzio L
Int J Mol Sci 2020 Sep 19;21(18) doi: 10.3390/ijms21186874. PMID: 32961682Free PMC Article
Oral health consequences of smokeless tobacco use.
Muthukrishnan A, Warnakulasuriya S
Indian J Med Res 2018 Jul;148(1):35-40. doi: 10.4103/ijmr.IJMR_1793_17. PMID: 30264752Free PMC Article
Interventions for treating oral leukoplakia to prevent oral cancer.
Lodi G, Franchini R, Warnakulasuriya S, Varoni EM, Sardella A, Kerr AR, Carrassi A, MacDonald LC, Worthington HV
Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2016 Jul 29;7(7):CD001829. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD001829.pub4. PMID: 27471845Free PMC Article
Oral leukoplakia-to treat or not to treat.
Holmstrup P, Dabelsteen E
Oral Dis 2016 Sep;22(6):494-7. Epub 2016 Feb 11 doi: 10.1111/odi.12443. PMID: 26785709

Prognosis

Oral Carcinoma Arising Under Implant-Supported Prosthesis: Progression of Proliferative Verrucous Leukoplakia Initially Mimicking Lichen Planus.
Silva PVR, Palaçon MP, Silveira HA, Martins KH, Bufalino A, León JE
J Oral Implantol 2024 Aug 1;50(4):397-400. doi: 10.1563/aaid-joi-D-24-00056. PMID: 38742460
Premalignant and malignant oral mucosal lesions: Clinical and pathological findings.
Maymone MBC, Greer RO, Kesecker J, Sahitya PC, Burdine LK, Cheng AD, Maymone AC, Vashi NA
J Am Acad Dermatol 2019 Jul;81(1):59-71. Epub 2018 Nov 14 doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2018.09.060. PMID: 30447325
Chemoprevention of Barrett's esophagus and oral leukoplakia.
Garewal HS
Adv Exp Med Biol 1992;320:129-36. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4615-3468-6_17. PMID: 1442277
Epidemiologic studies of oral mucosal conditions--methodologic issues.
Kleinman DV, Swango PA, Niessen LC
Community Dent Oral Epidemiol 1991 Jun;19(3):129-40. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0528.1991.tb00128.x. PMID: 1864064
Oral leukoplakia.
Pindborg JJ
Aust Dent J 1971 Apr;16(2):83-93. doi: 10.1111/j.1834-7819.1971.tb02311.x. PMID: 5283282

Clinical prediction guides

Proliferative Verrucous Leukoplakia: An Expert Consensus Guideline for Standardized Assessment and Reporting.
Thompson LDR, Fitzpatrick SG, Müller S, Eisenberg E, Upadhyaya JD, Lingen MW, Vigneswaran N, Woo SB, Bhattacharyya I, Bilodeau EA, Carlos R, Islam MN, Leon ME, Lewis JS Jr, Magliocca KR, Mani H, Mehrad M, Purgina B, Richardson M, Wenig BM, Cohen DM
Head Neck Pathol 2021 Jun;15(2):572-587. Epub 2021 Jan 7 doi: 10.1007/s12105-020-01262-9. PMID: 33415517Free PMC Article
Oral Leukoplakia and Risk of Progression to Oral Cancer: A Population-Based Cohort Study.
Chaturvedi AK, Udaltsova N, Engels EA, Katzel JA, Yanik EL, Katki HA, Lingen MW, Silverberg MJ
J Natl Cancer Inst 2020 Oct 1;112(10):1047-1054. doi: 10.1093/jnci/djz238. PMID: 31860085Free PMC Article
Oral leukoplakia-to treat or not to treat.
Holmstrup P, Dabelsteen E
Oral Dis 2016 Sep;22(6):494-7. Epub 2016 Feb 11 doi: 10.1111/odi.12443. PMID: 26785709
Olmsted syndrome.
Fonseca E, Peña C, Del Pozo J, Almagro M, Yebra MT, Cuevas J, Contreras F
J Cutan Pathol 2001 May;28(5):271-5. doi: 10.1034/j.1600-0560.2001.028005271.x. PMID: 11401671
Oral hairy leukoplakia.
Zunt SL, Tomich CE
J Dermatol Surg Oncol 1990 Sep;16(9):812-6. doi: 10.1111/j.1524-4725.1990.tb01566.x. PMID: 2168906

Recent systematic reviews

Malignant transformation of oral leukoplakia: Systematic review and meta-analysis of the last 5 years.
Aguirre-Urizar JM, Lafuente-Ibáñez de Mendoza I, Warnakulasuriya S
Oral Dis 2021 Nov;27(8):1881-1895. Epub 2021 Apr 1 doi: 10.1111/odi.13810. PMID: 33606345
Diabetes mellitus and oral cancer/oral potentially malignant disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Ramos-Garcia P, Roca-Rodriguez MDM, Aguilar-Diosdado M, Gonzalez-Moles MA
Oral Dis 2021 Apr;27(3):404-421. Epub 2020 Feb 18 doi: 10.1111/odi.13289. PMID: 31994293
Oral potentially malignant disorders: A comprehensive review on clinical aspects and management.
Warnakulasuriya S
Oral Oncol 2020 Mar;102:104550. Epub 2020 Jan 22 doi: 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2019.104550. PMID: 31981993
Potentially malignant disorders of the oral cavity and oral dysplasia: A systematic review and meta-analysis of malignant transformation rate by subtype.
Iocca O, Sollecito TP, Alawi F, Weinstein GS, Newman JG, De Virgilio A, Di Maio P, Spriano G, Pardiñas López S, Shanti RM
Head Neck 2020 Mar;42(3):539-555. Epub 2019 Dec 5 doi: 10.1002/hed.26006. PMID: 31803979
Prevalence of oral potentially malignant disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Mello FW, Miguel AFP, Dutra KL, Porporatti AL, Warnakulasuriya S, Guerra ENS, Rivero ERC
J Oral Pathol Med 2018 Aug;47(7):633-640. Epub 2018 Jun 6 doi: 10.1111/jop.12726. PMID: 29738071

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