Leukoplakia

Leukoplakia is a premalignant lesion of the oral mucosa that presents as a white lesion or patch that cannot be characterized clinically or histopathologically as any other entity. Proliferative verrucous leukoplakia is a malignant form of leukoplakia of unknown etiology and is thought to be associated with human papilloma virus (HPV). It starts as a slow-growing, persistent, multifocal lesion and is most commonly seen in elderly women. The “classic mechanism” of the disease gives demonstrable evidence that large areas of aerodigestive tissue are more affected on exposure to carcinogens in patients with adverse habits. This paper attempts to describe comprehensively all aspects of the verrucous varieties of leukoplakia.