LEUKOPLAKIA
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Definition – According to WHO Leukoplakia is defined as “a white patch or plaque that cannot be scraped off and cannot be characterized clinically or pathologically as any other disease“
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it is considered to premalignant / precancerous condition of oral cavity
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Age : 40 – 70 years
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Sex : male preponderance
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Risk factors : Multifactorial
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Most common risk factor is Tobacco smoking (Cigarettes, pipesand cigars) and tobacco chewing- smokers keratosis and stomatistis nicotina
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Chronic friction – Ill fitting dentures or jagged teeth
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Local irritants – Alcohol and very hot and spicy foods and beverages
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Locations : Buccal mucosa, floor of the mouth, ventral surface of the tongue, palate and gingiva
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Gross Pathology
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solitary or multiple with white patches or plaques often with sharply demarcated borders
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appearance is smooth or wrinkled, speckled or nodular (High risk of malignancy)
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Microscopic pathology –
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Hyperkeratotic type – Hyperkeratotic (increased thickness of keratin layer) squamous epithelium
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Dysplastic type –
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Epithelial dysplasia i.e , irregular stratification of the epithelium, focal areas of increased and abnormal mitotic figures, hyperchromatism, pleomorphism, loss of polarity and individual cell keratinization
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Subepithelial tissue shows an inflammatory infiltrate composed of lymphocytes and plasma cells
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long standing leukoplakia progresses into carcinoma-in-situ and then to Invasive carcinoma
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Higher risk is noted with Speckled Leukoerythroplakia (Features of both leukoplakia and erythroplakia i.e reddish plaque)
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