Clinical and histopathological manifestations of potentially premalignant oral epithelial lesions in patients with smoking habit

Abstract

Background: the World Health Organization established a new terminology; potentially premalignant oral epithelial lesions; (PPOEL) for the description of a heterogeneous variety of clinical and histopathological diseases, being reserved for confirmed biopsy lesions and with the presence of dysplastic areas, associated with an increased risk of developing a long-term invasive malignancy. Objective: to describe the clinical and histopathological manifestations of potentially premalignant oral epithelial lesions in active smokers, assisted at the dental consultation of the Specialties Polyclinic from the Provincial Clinical Surgical Teaching Hospital Saturnino Lora Torres, Santiago de Cuba, from April 2022 to April 2023. Methods: a descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted in 25 smoking patients, who were diagnosed with potentially premalignant oral epithelial lesions on clinical and histopathological examination, and who were treated at the consultation and time period stated in the objective. The variables studied were: age groups, sex, time smoking, anatomical sites of the lesion, clinical oral symptoms and pathological study. Results: the male sex prevailed, the 60+ years old group and smokers with 21 and more years of habit, resulting in oral leukoplakia the most frequent pathology in potentially premalignant oral lesions. Cheek mucosa, as an anatomical site, and absence of clinical symptoms were more common. Mild chronic inflammatory infiltrate, hyperparakeratosis and mild epithelial dysplasia were the most relevant hytic changes. Conclusions: all patients addicted to tobacco had potentially premalignant oral epithelial lesions at clinical examination, confirmed by histopathological study.

Keywords

• lesiones epiteliales orales potencialmente premalignas
• fumar
• displasia
• hiperparaqueratosis