What is the leading cause of oral cancer?

The risk of oral and oropharyngeal cancers is greatly increased by 2 factors: Tobacco use. Using tobacco, including cigarettes, cigars, pipes, chewing tobacco, and snuff, is the single largest risk factor for head and neck cancer. Eighty-five percent (85\%) of head and neck cancer is linked to tobacco use.

What are the most common causes of oral squamous cell carcinoma?

The chief risk factors for oral squamous cell carcinoma are heavy smoking and alcohol use. Oral cancer is sometimes asymptomatic initially, so oral screening (typically by dental professionals) is useful for early diagnosis.

What type of cancer can leukoplakia develop into?

Leukoplakia is different from other causes of white patches such as thrush or lichen planus because it can eventually develop into oral cancer. Within 15 years, about 3\% to 17.5\% of people with leukoplakia will develop squamous cell carcinoma, a common type of skin cancer.

Where are oral cancers most commonly found in the mouth?

Mouth cancers most commonly begin in the flat, thin cells (squamous cells) that line your lips and the inside of your mouth. Most oral cancers are squamous cell carcinomas.

Why is Erythroplakia red?

There is an absence of keratin production and a reduced number of epithelial cells. Since the underlying vascular structures are less hidden by tissue, erythroplakia appears red when viewed in a clinical setting.

What is the most common site for oral squamous cell carcinoma?

Oral squamous cell carcinoma occurred more frequently in patients older than 60 years. The tongue was the most commonly affected site (53\%), followed by the buccal mucosa (9.5\%) and maxillary gingiva (9\%).

What areas of the mouth are the most common sites for squamous cell carcinoma?

Site distribution showed that the most common location of the tumors was the border of the tongue (37\%), followed by the alveolar mucosa and gingiva (20\%) and floor of the mouth and ventral tongue (19\%).

What does Erythroplakia look like?

Erythroplakia is defined as ‘any lesion of the oral mucosa that presents as bright red velvety plaques which cannot be characterized clinically or pathologically as any other recognizable condition’. Such lesions are usually irregular in outline, although clearly demarcated from adjacent normal epithelium.

Is Erythroplakia a cancer?

According to the American Academy of Oral Medicine, erythroplakia and leukoplakia are generally considered precancerous (or potentially cancerous) lesions. Keep reading to learn more about erythroplakia, its causes, diagnosis, and treatment.

What is the most common way in which oral dysplasia presents in the oral cavity?

They might be cancer, they might be a pre-cancer condition called dysplasia, or they could be a harmless change. The most common causes of leukoplakia and erythroplakia are smoking and chewing tobacco. Poorly fitting dentures that rub against the tongue or the inside of the cheeks can also cause these changes.

Where is erythroplakia found?

Erythroplakia is a clinical term that describes a red lesion that cannot be defined clinically or pathologically as any other condition. Erythroplakias occur more frequently in older men and are found on the lateral border of the tongue, the floor of the mouth, the retromolar pad, and on the soft palate (Figure 3-10).

What is the difference between erythroplakia and leukoplakia?

Leukoplakia is a white patch in the mouth. Erythroplakia is a red area in the mouth that bleeds easily. These white or red patches might be harmless. But they can also be precancerous and contain abnormal cells.

What is oral leukoplakia and what causes it?

Oral leukoplakia is a white patch or plaque that develops in the oral cavity and is strongly associated with smoking. Risk factors include all forms of tobacco use forms including cigar, cigarette, beedi, and pipe.

What is the difference between interdental erythroplakia and leukoplakia?

Interdental extension of this process is common in dentate areas. Erythroplakia is less common than leukoplakia and appears as a fiery red macule or patch with a soft velvety texture. [ 3, 4] It is associated with a significantly higher risk of dysplasia or carcinoma when compared with typical leukoplakia.

What is irregular smooth to thickened leukoplakia?

Irregular, smooth to thickened leukoplakia involves the dorsal and lateral surfaces of the tongue, which demonstrated no sign of dysplasia in multiple areas of incisional biopsy. Erythroplakia. Erythroplakia is characterized by a smooth, velvety clinical presentation with a homogeneous surface, without ulceration.

What is squamous dysplasia of oral squamous cell carcinoma?

The most common of these lesions is squamous dysplasia in association with leukoplakia and erythroplakia, which is the primary focus of this article. Not to be ignored, however, is the fact that up to 50\% of oral SCCs cases arise from clinically normal mucosa.