The development of Proliferative Verrucous Leukoplakia on a background of oral lichen planus: A case series

Abstract

Oral Lichen Planus (OLP) and Proliferative Verrucous Leukoplakia (PVL) are oral potentially malignant disorders with large differences in rates of malignant transformation (1–2% and 60–100% respectively). They share a number of clinicopathological features, particularly in the early stages of the diseases. Seven patients from one Oral Medicine and one Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Department in the UK are described, who have developed PVL with a background of OLP. All patients were female, non-smokers and fulfilled diagnostic criteria for both conditions in their disease course. Patients initially presented with reticular striae and subsequently developed plaque-like and verrucous oral lesions. There are three cases of oral cancer development to date, with mean follow up time of 13 years. Our case series reinforces the importance of clinicopathological correlation for the diagnosis of both conditions and periodic review of patients with OLP to allow early-detection of PVL.

Keywords

• Oral lichen planus
• Proliferative verrucous leukoplakia
• Oral potentially malignant disorders
• Verrucous carcinoma
• OLP
• PVL