Estimation of oral leukoplakia treatment records in the research of the Department of Maxillofacial and Oral Surgery, Medical University of Gdansk.

INTRODUCTION: Oral leukoplakia (OL) is the most common potentially malignant lesion of the oral cavity. AIM: The purpose of the study was clinical and epidemiological analysis of patients with OL diagnosed and treated in the Department of Maxillofacial and Oral Surgery, Medical University of Gdansk, comparison of effectiveness of treatment methods, defining whether van der Waal level of OL influences treatment effectiveness, correlation between localization of OL and treatment effectiveness, and defining the optimal OL therapeutic method. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Among 55 911 patients diagnosed and treated in the Department in the years 1999-2009, 204 people with OL were selected (104 women, 100 men, average age: 58.1 years). Treatment and observation period of 6 months was completed by 178 (87.25%) patients. Seventy-four patients were treated with cream containing 0.05% tretinoin. Sixty-three patients underwent cryosurgery, and 41 surgery. Control visits were made in week 2, 4, 6 and 8 and 6 months after completed treatment. RESULTS: Three hundred and twenty lesions of OL were diagnosed. According to van der Waal classification, the largest group of patients was classified into stage I and II. The percentage of totally cured patients was 90.07%. There were no statistic differences in effectiveness between surgical and cryosurgical treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Evaluation of OL treatment methods depends on localization of the lesions and its stage of progression. The effectiveness of treatment with locally applied tretinoin is smaller in comparison to surgery and cryosurgery. It allows to reduce the number and size of OL lesions, what makes it possible to reduce the number of ablative procedures.

Oral premalignant lesions: epidemiological and clinical analysis in the northern Polish population.

INTRODUCTION: Leukoplakia is the most common potentially malignant condition of the oral cavity. AIM: Epidemiological and clinical analysis of patients with oral leukoplakia (OL) diagnosed and treated in the Department of Maxillofacial and Oral Surgery, Medical University of Gdansk. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was retrospective and prospective. Among 55 911 patients diagnosed and treated in the Department in 1999-2009, 204 people with OL were selected. The material includes 104 women and 100 men with an average age of 58.1. Most of the patients were in the age group of 50-70 years, average age was 58.1. RESULTS: The most common concomitant disease was diabetes. More than 88% of the patients declared occurrence of OL predisposing development factors (50.49% - cigarette smoking). Three hundred and twenty foci of OL were found among patients. Homogeneous OL dominated (72.05%). Multifocal OL was diagnosed in 58.3% of patients. The most common location of lesions was buccal mucosa (52.2%). Cancers developed on the basis of OL in 7 patients (3.43%). The percentage of malignant transformation was 12.19% for untreated patients and 1.41% for treated patients. The floor of the oral cavity was proven to be the location of the highest risk of oral squamous cell carcinoma. Patients with diabetes may be more likely to develop OL. The risk of malignant transformation is relatively high. In our material it was equal to 3.43%. CONCLUSIONS: Cigarette smoking is the most important factor, which can influence the effectiveness of treatment.