Sixty cases of oral leukoplakia treated at our Department from 1975 to 1987 and accompanied by long-term follow-up observation were reviewed, and the relation between oral leukoplakia and it's malignant transformation was clinicopathologically analyzed.
A total of 60 oral leukoplakia cases had been followed up for an average of 6 years 5 months and the histological diagnosis of each case was confirmed on biopsy.
The 38 male and 22 female patients ranged in age from 20 to 81 years. The number of cases classifid according to treatment was: surgical therapy 32 cases, cryosurgery 16 cases, chemotherapy 3 cases, and follow-up 9 cases.
During the follow-up period, malignant transformation was found in 2 cases (36 year old male and 74 year old female).
The lesions which transformed to squamous cell carcinoma originated in the lateral tongue. Dysplasia was identified in 2 cases, all mild in degree. Squamous cell carcinoma developed in 1 out of these 2 dysplasia cases.