Objective: To determine oral epithelial dysplasia degree and individual dysplastic aspect of leukoplakia and correlate microscopical features with clinical data of patients.
Method: Files of the Oral Pathology Service - OPS, Dentistry College, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Brazil from 2004-2010 were retrospectively reviewed and those ones with histological diagnosis of leukoplakia were selected. Patient’s clinical profile was obtained and Hematoxilin & Eosin slides were analyzed in order to graduate the oral epithelial dysplasia degree and register the presence or absence of 17 dysplastic aspects determined by WHO. The statistical analysis was X2 test.
Result: From the 797 histological reports reviewed, 32 (4,27%) cases were leukoplakias. Patients ranged 26-77 years-old (means 52,58 + 13,87). The jugal mucosa was the most frequently affected site, followed by tongue and retromolar area. Of the 32 patients, 17 were smokers and 15.6% reported alcohol consumption. Regarding to oral epithelial dysplasia degree, 6 cases were diagnosed with mild-grade, 17 with moderate and 9 with severe-grade and was not statistically significant with clinical data. The individual analysis of the dysplastic and clinical aspects showed statistically significant between alcohol consumption and drop shaped rete ridges; gender and abnormal superficial mitosis and between level of oral epithelial dysplasia and 8 dysplastic aspects.
Conclusion: The potential of malignant transformation of oral leukoplakia is better elucidated with the correlation of clinical and histopathological data. Moreover, the individual analysis of dysplastic aspects can be used as a tool to improve diagnostic of this lesion.