What is dysplasia of the tongue

Pathologists use the word mucosa to describe tissue that includes both the epithelium and the stroma. The most common cause of squamous dysplasia in the oral cavity is smoking. Other causes include excessive alcohol consumption, immune suppression, and prior radiation to the head and neck. The diagnosis of squamous dysplasia is usually made after a small sample of tissue is removed in a procedure called a biopsy.

The biopsy is usually performed because you or your doctor saw an abnormal-looking area of tissue within your oral cavity. Your pathology report will probably say what part of the oral cavity was sampled in the biopsy. The diagnosis of squamous dysplasia can only be made after a tissue sample is examined under the microscope. Compared to normal, healthy squamous cells, the abnormal cells in an area of squamous dysplasia are usually larger and darker.

Pathologists use the word hyperchromatic to describe cells that look darker than normal cells. Large clumps of genetic material called nucleoli may also be seen in the nucleus of the abnormal cells. These squamous cells also commonly undergo an abnormal pattern of development which results in a process called keratinization. The abnormal cells in squamous dysplasia are only seen in the epithelium.

This is different from squamous cell carcinoma where the abnormal cells are also seen in the stroma below the epithelium. The movement of abnormal cells from the epithelium into the stroma is called invasion. Your pathologist will carefully examine your tissue sample to make sure there is no evidence of invasion before making the diagnosis of squamous dysplasia. Pathologists use the word grade to describe the difference between the abnormal cells in an area of squamous dysplasia and the normal, healthy squamous cells that are usually found in the oral cavity.

Pathologists use the size, colour, and shape of the cell to determine the grade. Using these features, squamous dysplasia in the oral cavity is usually divided into three levels.

Some pathology reports will group moderate and severe dysplasia together and call them both high-grade dysplasia. Mild dysplasia is called low-grade dysplasia. The grade for squamous dysplasia is very important because it is related to the risk of developing invasive cancer in the future. Knowing whether someone has mild, moderate, or severe dysplasia can help doctors determine the best way to manage these precancerous growths.

Taking preventive measures , such as avoiding tobacco use and limiting alcohol intake, is important. Your doctor may also decide that a precancerous lesion may require observation or treatment. Doctors may recommend observation if you have mild dysplasia, which has a low risk of becoming cancerous. Observation may involve frequent visits to an oral cancer specialist, who can examine the precancerous growth for any changes. These visits occur on a schedule determined by your doctor.

If you have moderate or severe dysplasia, which has a greater chance of becoming cancerous, doctors remove the lesion and a small margin of healthy tissue using a small scalpel or laser beam. They may use a local anesthetic to perform the surgery. You may return home the same day. Biomarkers in dysplasia of the oral cavity: a systematic review.

Oral Oncol. Clinicopathological features and immunohistochemical expression of p53, Ki, Mcm-2 and Mcm-5 in proliferative verrucous leukoplakia. J Oral Pathol Med. A novel, minimally invasive approach to managing mild epithelial dysplasia. Gen Dent. Download references. You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar. Address for Correspondence: Hisham M.

E-mail: hisham. Treatment and follow-up of oral dysplasia - a systematic review and meta-analysis. Head Neck ; 31 : — Reprints and Permissions. Al-Dakkak, I. Oral dysplasia and risk of progression to cancer. Evid Based Dent 11, 91—92 Download citation. Published : 24 September Issue Date : September Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:.

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article. Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative. Advanced search. Skip to main content Thank you for visiting nature. Download PDF. Subjects Oncogenesis Oral cancer.

Abstract Data sources Medline, EMbase and Cochrane databases Study selection Studies were included if they reported data on patients with a histologically-confirmed diagnosis of oral dysplasia.

Data extraction and synthesis Quality assessment was undertaken independently by two reviewers. Results Fourteen non-randomised studies, reporting on patients, were included. You have full access to this article via your institution. Commentary Oral dysplasia is detected by clinicians in the form of leukoplakia, a white patch in the oral cavity that cannot be diagnosed as any other known disorder. References 1 Jaber MA. PubMed Google Scholar Download references. Additional information Address for Correspondence: Hisham M.

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