Comparison among oral lichen planus, lichenoid lesions and proliferative verrucous leukoplakia: a clinicopathological, transversal study

Abstract

Abstract Background Clinicopathological diagnosis and follow-up of oral lichen planus and leukoplakia are necessary due to its potential for malignant transformation and the need to differentiate it from other lichenoid diseases and proliferative verrucous leukoplakia. This study aimed to classify and compare sociodemographic and clinicopathological features among oral lichen planus, oral lichenoid lesions and proliferative verrucous leukoplakia. Methods: A transversal observational study was conducted in which oral leukoplakia and oral lichen planus cases were surveyed at the Oral Pathological Anatomy Service and Applied Biotechnology Laboratory. Sociodemographic and clinicopathological data were compared regarding the lesions studied with the chi-square or Fisher’s exact test. Results: After classification, 21 oral lichen planus, 34 oral lichenoid lesions and 12 proliferative verrucous leukoplakia cases were evaluated. Reticular patterns are more characteristic of oral lichen planus and plaque lesions of proliferative verrucous leukoplakia. Buccal mucosa was the most affected site in oral lichen planus lesions and they were bilateral in all cases. Epithelial dysplasia was present in almost all cases of proliferative verrucous leukoplakia. Conclusion: Oral lichenoid lesions presented intermediate features when compared to oral lichen planus and proliferative verrucous leukoplakia. This may delay proliferative verrucous leukoplakia diagnosis.